Britain is being hit by a “growing” wave of flu, health chiefs warned today.
Surveillance programs monitoring the outbreak in the UK suggest that flu hospital admissions are quadrupling from a month ago.
Figures show that more than 4,500 beds were occupied by flu patients each day last week, 3.5 times more than the same week last year.
Of those, 211 were in critical care, 69 percent more than the previous week.
More than 4,100 Britons also spent Christmas Day in hospital with flu. By December 29, this number had increased to more than 5,000.
Meanwhile, rates of norovirus, the winter vomiting bug, are also 40 percent higher than expected for this time of year.
Health chiefs fear outbreaks will continue to accelerate in the coming days after more people socialize indoors over the Christmas and New Year period.
They also warned that an “extreme” cold snap hitting the UK this weekend will continue to put pressure on already stretched hospitals.
According to the latest forecast, the UK will see temperatures drop to -10C and there will be weather warnings across much of England and Scotland for snow.
Professor Julian Redhead, NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, said: “These latest figures show that flu pressure was nowhere near easing before we approached the New Year, soaring to more than 5,000. cases per day in the hospital as of the end of last week and increasing at a very worrying rate.
“In addition to the flu, there is also continued pressure from Covid, while hospital cases of RSV and norovirus are also higher than last year, with hospitals installing 1,300 extra beds last week compared to the same period of the year passed in expectation of this continued pressure from viruses and other demands.
“With what appears to be an extreme cold snap expected across England ahead of the weekend, we know that low temperatures can be dangerous for those who are vulnerable or have respiratory conditions.
“So if you are at risk, try to stay warm and make sure you have enough regular medication.”
“Continue to use NHS 111 and 111 online if you need advice and support for health problems, and only use 999 or go to A&E in life-threatening emergencies.”
According to the latest weekly figures from the NHS, RSV, which is most common in babies and young children, increased by almost half in the same period in 2023.
An average of 74 children were in the hospital every day last week with RSV.
Norovirus may appear similar to Covid symptoms, with both viruses causing chills, fever and headaches.
Also more than 1,100 beds were occupied by Covid patients.
Some hospitals have begun limiting visiting hours and imposing mask mandates for fear of a rise in “quadraemia” cases.
Earlier this week, NHS trusts including Cambridge, Northern Lincolnshire, Essex and Bedfordshire introduced new restrictions to limit the risk of infection for patients, staff and the public.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and the Welsh Ambulance Service declared critical incidents due to a huge increase in demand for care.
On Saturday, NHS Dumfries and Galloway also introduced temporary restrictions on visiting due to a “high volume of respiratory illnesses” in the community.
More NHS trusts are expected to declare critical incidents in the coming days, with primary care already seeing a significant increase in demand following the holiday period.
Yesterday the health service warned people not to go outside early in the morning or late at night due to the upcoming snowfall.
The joint advice, from the NHS and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), also urged people to check their medicine cabinets for essential items and to stay active by not sitting still for more than an hour and wearing multiple layers of clothing. finer.
The UK’s Health Security Agency has imposed an amber cold health alert until January 8, warning that the weather is likely to cause “significant impacts on health and social care services”.
Snow in Allenheads, Northumberland, photographed on Thursday morning
A separate UKHSA cold health alert issued for all regions of England is expected to last until January 8.
Despite mounting pressures, the latest official data shows that just under one in four frontline healthcare workers in England have received a flu vaccine this year.
The Government report found that, overall, only 24.3 per cent of staff responsible for direct patient care have been vaccinated against influenza.
Analysis of the data showed that vaccination rates are lower across all staff groups, including NHS hospital staff, paramedics and GPs, this year than in the 2023 season.
Public health specialists say those with even mild cold symptoms should consider isolating themselves, as they may unknowingly carry the virus that can be fatal for older people.
In addition to avoiding family gatherings, they recommended wearing masks and social distancing in an attempt to avoid transmitting the virus.
Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline: “If you are sick with flu you should stay away from other people for the first three days and preferably for the first week.”
“This is especially important if they are older or have medical conditions that put them at higher risk.”
The five Met Office maps above show snow in London between Sunday at 10pm and Monday at 2am
Flu symptoms include fever, sore throat, muscle aches, and cough; However, Professor Hunter warned that many people are simply suffering from something similar to the common cold.
About a fifth of those infected with the flu have no symptoms but can still transmit the virus to others, he added.
Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick, also urged people with possible flu symptoms to consider lockdown-like measures.
“If you have flu-like symptoms, it is very important to think about limiting contact with other people, especially those who are clinically vulnerable to respiratory infections,” she said.
He added that it was important to keep this in mind even if vulnerable people had received the flu vaccine, as, like any vaccine, it cannot offer 100 per cent protection against serious illness.
Flu, also called influenza, is responsible for around 40,000 hospitalizations and more than 10,000 deaths in the UK each year, although this figure can be higher in bad years.