Hospital patients with flu in England rises again as bosses warn worst is yet to come
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The surge in winter flu cases continues as emergency departments struggle to deal with the increase in demand. The number of flu patients in hospital has risen across England for the sixth week in a row, figures released on Thursday morning show. Multiple hospitals declared or continued critical incidents this week, the highest NHS alert level, as the surge in respiratory cases overwhelmed accident and emergency departments.
The number of people requiring hospital treatment for flu began to surge at the end of November, and the latest NHS data shows no sign of relief. In the week ending 5 January, there were an average of 5,408 patients in hospital each day, up from an average of 4,469 a day the week prior and more than quadruple the average from November.
The week ended on Sunday with 5,111 flu patients in hospital - up from 5,074 the week before. Last week’s peak was on Friday when 5,657 patients were in hospital with flu - the highest figure this winter. This is significantly higher than the same date last year, when just 1,523 patients were in hospital for flu. The numbers remain in line with the 2022/23 winter flu crisis, which averaged 5,281 patients for that same week.
Current numbers are up by 168% month-on-month. On Wednesday, Professor Julian Redhead, NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, warned the peak of the flu season is yet to come as hospitals wards across England are “full to bursting”.
