Hospitals in England are ‘on high alert’ as flu cases reach the highest level ever recorded for this time of year, according to an NHS director.
Flu cases in hospitals reached 3,140 by the end of last week, up 18% on the previous week, while norovirus cases averaged 427 per day, representing a 20% increase.
Hospital bed occupancy averaged 94.2% and staff absences rose by more than 1,100 in a week, up 9% compared with two years ago.
However, there are signs the surge may be slowing in some areas. Hospital flu cases fell 4% in the North West, thought to be due to higher vaccination rates and public efforts to protect vulnerable people.
More than 18 million people have now had a flu vaccine, 306,000 more than the same week last year.
However, flu cases continue to rise sharply in other regions, with a 39% rise in the East of England and a 40% increase in the South West.
Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS national medical director, said: ‘While some parts of the country will be breathing a sigh of relief with flu cases not rising as quickly as feared, we are nowhere near out of the woods yet.
‘Combined with the impact of strikes, a stream of winter viruses means many hospitals will be on high alert in the days ahead.’
Despite the pressure, average ambulance handover times were almost eight minutes quicker than the same week last year.
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘Flu continues to put significant strain on the NHS, with record numbers of patients in hospital, and frontline services remaining under enormous pressure,’ and yesterday suggested NHS health and care settings may wish to consider making masks mandatory.
He thanked NHS staff for ‘going above and beyond at the toughest time of year’, adding that careful planning had improved ambulance handovers.
However, Mr Streeting, criticised the British Medical Association’s decision to pursue strike action by resident doctors, saying it was ‘piling on the pressure’ at a critical time.
‘The NHS team has responded brilliantly to keep the show on the road. Our entire focus is on keeping patients safe through the strikes and this peak period for the NHS,’ he said.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey called the situation a national emergency and demanded the prime minister hold a COBRA meeting.
‘Patients are facing appalling, degrading conditions in our overwhelmed A&E departments,’ he said.
‘The prime minister must immediately hold a COBRA meeting and fund flu jabs, offered to all, in churches, clubs and community venues across the country.’
