Dr John Sheehan, a GP in Blackpool and Fianna Fáil city councillor, said levels of the infection in the community have been “significant” and that a further spike in cases might occur.

The Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry is urging parents to have their children vaccinated against influenza as numbers are set to peak.

At University Hospital Limerick, there is 122 people on trolleys, with 74 people in the emergency department.

Concern has been expressed about a rise in admissions in Ireland, with 869 in hospital with flu on Sunday compared to 530 a week previously.

There were 742 people hospitalised with flu nationally today as pressure increases on acute hospitals in the post-Christmas period, according to the HSE.

In Cork city, the clinic will be in St Mary’s Campus, Gurranabraher, Cork, T23 V09X from 12:30pm-3:30pm.

While they expected and planned for a surge in hospitalisations at this time, the numbers so far are at the upper end of what they had predicted, a spokesperson said.

The HSE said the situation was 'quite stark' in the past week alone for the age 75 and over category.

University Hospital Limerick and Cork University Hospital had the worst overcrowding on Thursday

The HSE said everyone is responsible and can make a difference in addressing the growing threat of antibiotic-resistance.

Last winter, over 4,000 people were hospitalised with the flu, and more than 7,000 required hospital treatment for Covid-19.

It follows data released by the HSE which showed a stark increase in respiratory illness and hospitalisations resulting from them. 

This is the highest number of influenza cases and hospitalisations so far this winter season.

HSE boss Bernard Gloster said systems were holding up well during the mid-winter pressures

The HSE said there has been a rise in the number of people with respiratory illnesses attending emergency departments.

Last week saw the highest ever number of hospitalisations caused by RSV in Ireland.

Call comes amid concerns that low vaccine uptake may have a serious impact on public health over the coming weeks and months

The Covid 19 autumn/winter booster vaccine is recommended for people aged 50 and over, while the flu vaccine is recommended for people aged 65 and over, with both vaccines also recommended for health and care workers, anyone who is pregnant, or has a long term health condition.

All registered deaths in Ireland up to January 29th were analysed using a European monitoring algorithm

There were 647 Covid-19 cases (PCR) in Cork in the 14 days up to midnight on January 16

Flu was already at levels that made this winter ‘an exceptional season’, the HSE said.

Professor Kingston Mills said the variant is already becoming the dominant strain in the US

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has called for stronger public health advice on mask-wearing amid the hospital overcrowding crisis

People admitted to emergency departments are facing an average wait time of 13.8 hours, the HSE said.

Stephen Donnelly said an early wave of the flu season, combined with Covid and RSV, has put hospitals under increased pressure.

Consultant Professor Declan Lyons has repeated a warning about the “inhumane” and dangerous conditions in the emergency department in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) because of serious overcrowding

The HSE's chief operations officer said Emergency Departments are facing an "unprecedented combination of very high levels of flu, Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses"

“This year is different in that it’s the first year in a few years where there’s a very high level of mixing of people and peoples’ immunity, particularly younger children, haven’t been exposed to these before also.” 

Leo Varadkar, who had a scheduled meeting with HSE management on Friday, said overtime should also be used to minimise the suffering and inconvenience to patients

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A National Crisis Management Team has been established amid predictions the health service will come under the 'highest pressure' ever in the coming weeks

The HSE said flu and Covid-19 infection and hospitalisation numbers are likely to rise 'very rapidly'

The chief medical officer Professor Breda Smyth has urged vulnerable people to wear masks when attending religious services over the Christmas period

Dr Colm Henry said Covid cases were up 75% and hospital admissions up 90% in December

Professor Breda Smith said flu cases are up 80 per cent in the past week

A Cork pharmacist has said parents do not need to panic following the death of a Dublin child linked to strep A

Prof Breda Smyth told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that uptake on the nasal vaccine for flu for children has been less than 10 percent.

The HSE’s public health medicine and flu lead, Dr Aparna Keegan has called on all parents to bring their children aged two years to 19 years to get their flu vaccine

“The HSE has launched the Winter Flu Vaccine campaign and the flu vaccine is now available as well as the Covid booster."

Prof O’Neill said that there will “definitely be a surge” of these respiratory viruses, including Covid-19, but that there “hopefully won’t be a huge increase in hospitalisations because of the vaccination campaign and natural immunity combined”.

This year, there is the option to book an appointment to get a flu and Covid-19 vaccination together at the same appointment.

Dr Colm Henry said there would be a rise in infectious illnesses this winter such as flu, and another Covid variant was possible

Private hospitals must be asked to be part of the overall health service this winter with a view to making sure that elective admissions were not cancelled, she said.

HSE Clinical Advisor and Group Lead Older Persons Services and Geriatrician SI in Trauma and Orthopaedic at CUH Dr Emer Ahern said preparations are underway for a flu season and what she said will likely be another Covid surge.

Vaccination and adding bed capacity will be among the key measures taken by the HSE this winter

The HSE is renting 1,800 private hospital beds every week to try to mitigate against "capacity issues" in the public system

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said an upsurge in both flu and Covid-19 is expected

Of the 255 cases notified, 21 were in the HSE South region, which comprises Cork and Kerry

The Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine nasal spray vaccine is approved for children aged two to 17 years