ALL SEVEN DUBLIN HEROIN FATALITIES WERE MEN

All seven heroin users who died as a result of "an unidentified severe
illness" were men, the Eastern Regional Health Authority confirmed
last night.

The confirmation that all cases involved men rules out two women from
investigations into the illness. The deaths of Ms Rosie Lakes and Ms
Maureen Gleeson are under a separate, unrelated investigation by the
gardai.

The US government's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in
Atlanta is working with the authorities in Dublin on the
investigations into the deaths.

The health authority has warned drug users not to inject heroin and to
report any unusual illness, abscess or swelling to their doctor or
hospital.

Meanwhile, another drug injector has in died in Glasgow, bringing the
total number of deaths in Glasgow among heroin users recently to 12.
The Glasgow health board and the Eastern Health Board have said there
may be a link between the deaths in Scotland and the seven deaths in
Dublin among heroin users.

The Glasgow health board said there was as yet not enough information
to link the latest death, which occurred on Thursday, to the 11 deaths
which are being investigated for what it described as an "illness outbreak".

In a statement yesterday the Greater Glasgow Health Board said that
tissue samples from the 11 deceased had been sent by air to the Centre
for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The tissue samples
would be subject to a range of tests for toxins by the centre, the
statement said.

Dr Jai Lingappa, an epidemiologist from Atlanta, had arrived yesterday
to help the health board "plan further investigations", the statement
added.

"Following intensive investigations over more than two weeks, the
exact cause of the outbreak has not yet been pinpointed," the Glasgow
health board said. A total of 25 people have been admitted to hospital
in Glasgow connected with the illness.

This week, the Eastern Regional Health Authority confirmed that seven
heroin users in Dublin had died since the beginning of this month,
with 14 people admitted to hospital in that period.

Gardai said those who died had abscesses on their bodies. The
authority added: "These 14 cases appear to meet the case definition of
the recent Glasgow cluster of heroin deaths."

Mr John Hamilton of the Greater Glasgow Health Board confirmed that
there were abscesses on the bodies of the deceased in Glasgow.

Outreach workers were increasing street contacts with drug users in an
attempt to disseminate information, according to the Eastern Regional
Health Authority.

A drugs helpline has also been set up for people in Dublin. The number
is 1800 459 459 and is available every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Emergency assessment services are being provided at the health
authority's addiction centres around Dublin.