Hospital admissions for flu in England have soared to a record level for this time of year, signalling a severe and early start to the winter virus season.
Unprecedented Hospital Numbers
The latest NHS winter situation report reveals that an average of 1,717 flu patients were occupying hospital beds each day last week. Of these, 69 were in critical care. This represents a dramatic 56% increase compared to the same week in 2024, when 1,098 patients were hospitalised with 39 in intensive care.
The current figures also significantly outstrip the levels recorded in both December 2023 and December 2022. Last winter, flu patient numbers peaked at 5,408 in early January, indicating that the current surge may still have considerable room to grow.
An Early and Intense Season
Health officials have confirmed that this year's flu season started earlier than usual and has not yet reached its peak. This trajectory suggests that pressure on already stretched NHS services will intensify in the crucial weeks leading up to Christmas and into the New Year.
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of The King's Fund health think tank, responded to the data. "Today’s data confirms that the NHS is entering the most challenging period of the year with pressures hitting the health and care service from all directions," she said.
Mounting Pressure on the NHS
Woolnough highlighted the compounding factors straining the system. "Rising flu waves and industrial action are all adding strain to a system which is already struggling to deliver timely care for patients," she stated.
She cautioned that the early start and unknown peak of the flu season make it difficult to predict the duration of this surge. While acknowledging the protection of NHS funding in the autumn Budget, Woolnough expressed deep concern. "It is still extremely difficult to see how this funding settlement can deliver all the ambitious commitments the Government has made to improve and transform the care patients receive," she concluded.
The record-breaking data underscores the severe challenge facing the National Health Service as it contends with a perfect storm of seasonal illness, operational pressures, and ongoing industrial disputes.
