‘Tidal wave of flu’ a major threat to NHS in England over winter, new figures show
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Hospitals in England are battling a “tidal wave” of flu as admissions increased by more than two-thirds in seven days, new data shows.
The number of hospital beds occupied by patients with the flu hit an average of 1,861 a day last week – up 70 per cent on the week before and four times higher than last year when the total stood at 402 patients.
Norovirus cases were also up 10 per cent compared to the week prior, with an average of 837 patients in hospital beds- up 64 per cent on 2023. This time last year there were an average of 511 patients a day in hospital with the vomiting bug and 390 in 2022.
NHS England has warned services “tidal wave” of infections and are bracing for a “quad-demic” of bugs this winter, with the increase in cases of flu, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and expected increases of Covid-19.
The figures have been published in the latest weekly snapshot of the performance of hospitals in England this winter.
More to follow…
