The NHS is bracing for one of its worst winters on record as a surge in flu cases puts pressure on GP surgeries, hospitals and ambulance services. The number of confirmed H3N2 flu cases has risen by 56%, prompting health officials to issue a warning.
Mutations are thought to be spreading the flu faster and earlier than usual, with vaccines proving less effective than hoped. The same strain active in the UK is also emerging as the force behind a new wave of infections in continental Europe.
Health authorities are urging vulnerable groups to get vaccinated and take precautions as the flu season intensifies. The surge is adding to the strain on an already overstretched healthcare system.
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