The Public Health Agency (PHA) can confirm that a child with confirmed flu infection, who attended a school for children with special needs, has sadly passed away. The PHA would like to extend its deepest sympathy to the family of this child. This death is a reminder that flu infection can cause serious complications, and indeed death, in those with certain underlying medical conditions.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world claiming more than 33,500 lives every year in the UK and in 2008 accounted for 12.5% of all cancers diagnosed in Northern Ireland.¹

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has confirmed that a case of influenza has been reported in a pupil attending Ceara School, Lurgan. The Ceara School is a special school for children with severe learning disability. Information letters have been issued to parents of other children at the school highlighting the importance of flu vaccination and encouraging them to get their children vaccinated. Local GPs have also been informed. No other associated cases have been identified.

A month-long programme of events will put the factors that influence individual and community health under a magnifying glass. ‘Focus on health inequalities’ is being led by the Public Health Agency (PHA), with contributions from a wide range of partners in the community, voluntary and statutory sector. It runs from 27 October 2010 and the concluding event is a major PHA conference ‘Meeting the challenge: Economics and a healthier society’, 24 November in Newtownabbey.Commenting on the ‘Focus on health inequalities’ programme Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive, PHA says