The variety of hospital beds in England occupied by sufferers with flu has elevated by 70% in per week, NHS England stated, because it warned of a “tidal wave of flu hitting hospitals”.
Well being leaders stated that folks eligible for his or her free flu jab ought to get vaccinated as quickly as attainable to keep away from “festive flu”.
A median of 1,861 flu sufferers have been in hospitals in England every day final week, together with 66 in essential care beds, NHS figures present. That is up from 1,099 sufferers the earlier week, when 39 have been in essential care. It is usually greater than 4 occasions the determine at this level final 12 months.
NHS England stated instances of norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have been additionally on the rise.
Final week, well being bosses warned hospitals have been going through a “quad-demic” of illness over the winter months, with instances of flu, norovirus, RSV and Covid-19 all forecast to rise. On Thursday, there have been warnings of a “tidal wave”.
Prof Sir Stephen Powis, the nationwide medical director for NHS England, stated on Thursday: “The tidal wave of flu instances and different seasonal viruses hitting hospitals is de facto regarding for sufferers and for the NHS – the figures are including to our ‘quad-demic’ worries.
“Whereas the NHS has plans in place to handle extra demand over the busy winter interval, with one week left to guide your vaccine, I can not stress sufficient the significance of getting booked in to guard your self in opposition to critical sickness and to keep away from ‘festive flu’.”
A median of 837 hospital beds in England have been stuffed every day final week by sufferers with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like signs, up from 756 the earlier week.
There have been a mean of 152 youngsters with RSV in hospital wards in England final week, up from 142 the earlier week and better than at this level in 2023 when the determine was 107.
The variety of hospital beds occupied every day by sufferers who had examined constructive for Covid-19 averaged 1,343, down barely week-on-week from 1,390.
