People should stay at home over the Christmas period if they have flu or Covid symptoms, experts have warned, amid fears that flu cases could see a second surge in the new year.
Flu levels appear to be leveling off, but it is too early to say whether they have peaked, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). As a result, experts are urging people to wash their hands regularly, make sure indoor spaces are well ventilated, get a free vaccination if eligible, and stay home where possible if symptoms appear.
An average of 3,140 people were in hospital with influenza each day by the end of last week, an increase of 18% compared to the previous week. At the same time last year, there were an average of 2,629 patients in hospital, while in 2023 the number was 648.
However, flu cases are starting to slow in some parts of the country, despite the NHS stressing that the service is “not out of control”.
In northwest England, flu cases in hospitals fell by 4% over the past week. But flu cases continued to rise in other parts of England, with the number of patients in hospital rising by 39% in the east of England and 40% in the south-west.
These numbers come as doctors based in England begin the second day of five days of strikes due to a dispute over wages.
Professor Meghana Pandit, national medical director for NHS England, said that although flu cases had not risen as quickly as feared in some parts of the country, the NHS was “nowhere close to being out of the woods yet”.
“Besides the impact of strikes, the influx of winter viruses means many hospitals will be on high alert in the coming days,” Pandit said. “But it remains essential that people continue to apply for NHS care as usual.”
Across England last week, 128 flu patients occupied critical care beds, up from 106 the previous week.
An average of 427 hospital beds were filled each day last week by patients suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms, an increase of more than a fifth (21%) compared to last week.
Just under a third (28%) of patients arriving by ambulance at hospitals in England last week waited at least 30 minutes before entering an emergency department, down from 32% the week before.
Separate figures published by the UKHSA show that hospital admission rates for influenza in England stabilized at 10.3 admissions per 100,000 last week, compared to 10.2 the week before.
People aged over 85 had the highest admission rate at 64.6 per 100,000 last week, up from 58.1 the week before, while the rate for people aged 75 to 84 was 31.4, broadly unchanged from 31.6.
For children under five, the rate was 27.3 per 100,000, up from 20.3.
Dr Alex Allen, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “With Christmas just around the corner, it is reassuring to see that flu levels are now starting to stabilize, but flu is known to be unpredictable and could return and peak again in the new year, so we urge people to continue to take sensible steps over the festive period to help stop the spread of the disease.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Flu continues to put huge pressure on the NHS, with record numbers of patients in hospitals, and frontline services remain under enormous pressure. I am appealing to the public to protect yourself and your loved ones by getting the flu vaccine.
“The regrettable decision by the British Medical Association to continue the strike at this critical moment is adding to the pressures, but the NHS team has responded brilliantly to keep the show on the road. Our entire focus is on keeping patients safe during the strikes and this peak period for the NHS.”