NHS England is on high alert as flu hospital admissions reach an all-time high for this time of year, with experts urging people to stay home over Christmas if they have symptoms of flu or Covid. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warns that while flu levels appear to be plateauing, it is too early to confirm a peak, and a second surge could occur in the New Year.
An average of 3,140 people were hospitalised with flu daily last week, an 18% increase from the previous week and significantly higher than the 2,629 cases at the same time last year. However, cases have slowed in some regions, such as the north-west, where hospital flu cases fell by 4%. In contrast, the east of England saw a 39% rise and the south-west a 40% increase.
Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS England national medical director, stated that while the rise is slowing in some areas, the NHS is “nowhere near out of the woods yet.” She highlighted the added pressure of strikes by resident doctors, which began this week, and urged the public to continue seeking NHS care as normal.
Critical care beds occupied by flu patients rose to 128 last week, up from 106. Additionally, norovirus and diarrhoea cases increased by 21%, with 427 beds filled daily. The UKHSA reported flu admission rates plateauing at 10.3 per 100,000, with the highest rates among those over 85 (64.6 per 100,000) and children under five (27.3 per 100,000).
Dr Alex Allen, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, advised regular handwashing, ventilation, and vaccination for eligible individuals. Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed the call for flu jabs, criticising the British Medical Association’s strike action as adding pressure during a critical period.
