Health officials in the UK warn of a significant surge in influenza cases, with hospital admissions four times higher than a month ago. Over 4,500 beds were occupied daily last week due to flu patients, marking a 3.5-fold increase from last year. As the Christmas and New Year periods approach, officials anticipate further outbreaks, exacerbated by an extreme cold wave dropping temperatures to -10C. Additionally, norovirus infections have surged by 40%. Only 24.3% of healthcare workers have received flu vaccinations, raising concerns about ongoing health care strain. Public health experts recommend self-isolation for those with symptoms to protect vulnerable populations.
The UK is facing a “surging” wave of influenza, health officials warned today.
The number of people admitted to hospital with influenza is four times higher than a month ago, according to a surveillance program monitoring the outbreak in the UK.
Figures show more than 4,500 beds alone were occupied by flu patients every day last week, a 3.5-fold increase compared to the same week last year.
Of these, 211 people were receiving critical care, an increase of 69% from the previous week.
More than 4,100 Brits also spent Christmas Day in hospital with the flu. By December 29, this number had exceeded 5,000.
Meanwhile, the infection rate for norovirus, a winter vomiting insect, is 40% higher than expected for this time of year.
Health officials fear the pace of spread will further accelerate in the coming days as more people socialize indoors over the Christmas and New Year period.
They also warned that the “extreme” cold wave that will hit the UK this weekend will further increase the strain on already strained hospitals.
Temperatures in the UK will drop to -10C, with snow warnings in place for most parts of England and Scotland, according to the latest forecasts.
Professor Julian Redhead, the NHS’s national clinical lead for emergency and emergency care, said: “These latest figures show that far from the pressure on influenza easing before the new year, the number of people infected in hospitals has increased so far in 2019. “This shows that the number of cases is rapidly increasing to more than 5,000 people per day.” It has been rising at a very alarming rate over the past weekend.
“In addition to influenza, there is also continued pressure from COVID-19, with the number of hospitalized patients with respiratory syncytial virus and norovirus also increasing compared to last year, and hospitals last week anticipating this continued pressure from COVID-19. , installed 1,300 more beds than at the same time last year due to the virus and other demands.
“Extreme cold weather is forecast across the UK heading into the weekend, and we know that cold temperatures can be dangerous for vulnerable people and those with respiratory conditions. Masu.
“So if you are at risk, keep yourself warm and make sure you stock up on regular medications.
“If you need advice or support about a health condition, please continue to use NHS 111 and 111 online and only use 999 or attend A&E in case of a life-threatening emergency.”
The latest NHS weekly statistics show that respiratory syncytial virus, the most common virus in babies and young children, has almost halved compared to the same period in 2023.
An average of 74 children were hospitalized with RSV each day last week.
More than 1,100 beds were also occupied by coronavirus patients.
Some hospitals have begun restricting visiting hours and requiring masks to be worn, fearing an increase in the number of “big four” cases.
Earlier this week, NHS trusts including Cambridge, Northern Lincolnshire, Essex and Bedfordshire introduced new restrictions to limit the risk of infection to patients, staff and the public.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and Wales Ambulance Service have declared a major incident due to a significant increase in demand for care.
On Saturday, NHS Dumfries and Galloway also introduced temporary restrictions on visitors due to a “high outbreak of respiratory illness” in the area.
Despite mounting pressure, just under one in four frontline healthcare workers in the UK have received a flu vaccine this year, according to the latest official data.
Overall, only 24.3% of direct patient care workers have received a flu shot, according to a government report.
Data analysis showed vaccination rates this year were lower than in the 2023 season across all staff groups, including NHS hospital staff, paramedics and GPs.
Norovirus can have symptoms similar to the new coronavirus, with both viruses causing chills, fever, and headache.
Public health experts say people with even mild cold symptoms should consider self-isolating because they could be unknowingly transmitting a virus that can be deadly for older people. .
It recommends avoiding family gatherings, as well as wearing masks and practicing social distancing to avoid transmitting the virus.
Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline: “If you have influenza, you should stay away from others for the first three days, preferably the first week.”
“This is especially important if they are older or suffer from medical conditions that put them at greater risk.”
Symptoms of influenza include fever, sore throat, muscle aches and cough, but Prof Hunter warned that many people were simply suffering from cold-like symptoms.
About a fifth of people infected with the flu have no symptoms but can still spread the flu to others, he added.
Professor Laurence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick, also urged people who may have flu symptoms to consider lockdown measures.
“If you have flu-like symptoms, it is very important to consider limiting your contact with other people, especially those who are clinically vulnerable to chest infections,” he said.
He added that, like other vaccines, it does not provide 100 per cent protection against severe disease, so it is important to take this into account even if vulnerable people receive the flu vaccination.
Influenza, also known as influenza, causes around 40,000 hospital admissions and more than 10,000 deaths in the UK each year, but in a bad year that number could rise.
