There are fears the NHS may be set to face its worst ever winter flu season after cases soared around the country in late December. The latest figures show English hospitals had 4,469 patients with flu on the average day during the Christmas week.
That’s five times as many compared to the same period last year, when there were 942 patients with flu. While 2022 was also a bad year – with 2,088 flu patients on average – this Christmas had more than double that number.
Here in Leicester, the figures show the trust had an average of 34 flu patients a day during Christmas week, with even more the week earlier, when the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust had 57 flu patients on the average day a their three hospitals in the city.
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In the week ending Sunday, December 29, the trust had an average of 24 flu patents in its hospital beds. Nationally, 4,102 people spent Christmas Day in hospital with flu, while the number of patients peaked on December 29 when there were 5,074.
There are also worries about Covid, respiratory syncytial virus and norovirus contributing to a “quad-demic” overwhelming hospitals. NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “The winter flu season has not only hit the NHS early this year, but it is potentially on track to be one of the worst we have ever seen, as the ‘quad-demic’ continues to increase pressure across services.
“Frontline NHS staff are currently under significant pressure – and as families and friends have gathered over the festive period and to celebrate the new year, we expect the peak of seasonal viruses is yet to come.”
The chart below shows the national picture, with this year seeing more flu patients in December than the previous two years:
People are being urged to stay away from hospital unless they have a real emergency
Sir Stephen added: “I’d like to thank NHS staff – despite huge demand, they continue to work tirelessly to keep patients safe and provide them with the best possible care. Anyone who needs medical support should continue to use services as normal – 999 and A&E only in an emergency, and for other urgent health needs, use NHS 111 or 111 online.”