NHS faces pressure as flu admissions rise sharply

FLU cases in the country have surged, with over 5,000 hospital admissions last week, marking a sharp increase as the NHS faces pressure from a winter quad-demic of flu, Covid, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus.

According to The Times, flu admissions rose from 4,102 on Christmas Day to 5,074 by 29 December.

The flu figures represent a nearly 3.5-fold increase compared to the same week last year, with an average of 211 patients in critical care daily. Additionally, 1,184 hospital beds were occupied by Covid patients each day last week.

Professor Julian Redhead, the NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, told the newspaper: “These latest figures show the pressure from flu was nowhere near letting up before we headed into the new year, skyrocketing to over 5,000 cases a day in hospital as of the end of last week and rising at a very concerning rate.”

Hospitals are also dealing with increased cases of other viruses. Norovirus hospitalisations averaged 528 daily last week, a 40 per cent increase from last year. RSV hospitalisations averaged 74 children daily, a nearly 50 per cent year-on-year rise.

Amid freezing conditions and an amber cold weather warning, Redhead urged vulnerable individuals to keep warm and ensure access to regular medications. Hospitals added 1,300 extra beds last week to manage the demand.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The tidal wave of flu this winter has seen more than three times as many patients in hospital compared with last year, putting huge pressures on the NHS.”

He highlighted measures such as ending strikes, introducing the RSV vaccine, and increasing NHS funding to address the crisis.