Super flu wave hits hospitals in England without yet reaching its peak

The number of patients hospitalized in England with flu has risen by more than 50% in the last week, and NHS bosses warn there are no signs the “super flu” is peaking yet.

In the week to Sunday there were an average of 2,660 flu cases per day in hospital, and NHS England said numbers had continued to rise this week.

NHS England said it was the equivalent of having three hospitals full of flu patients, with some reporting almost one in 10 beds were occupied by patients with the virus.

Officials said numbers had continued to rise this week and were feared to surpass 5,000 by the weekend. Increases are also being reported in other parts of the UK.

Children and young people aged five to 14 had the highest flu positivity rates in England.

But in terms of who is more affected or sicker, flu hospitalization rates in England are highest among people over 75 and children under five.

NHS England medical director Professor Meghana Pandit said: “This unprecedented wave of super flu is leaving the NHS facing the worst-case scenario for this time of year – with staff stretched to the limit to continue providing the best possible care to patients.”

Flu hospitalization numbers are at their highest level for this time of year since records began, although they only date back to 2021 and therefore do not reflect the two worst flu seasons of the last 15 years, which were seen in 2014-15 and 2017-18.

Flu rates began rising a month earlier than normal this year due to a mutated strain of the virus. The dominant strain is H3N2, but this year it has some genetic changes.

It means that the general public has not encountered this exact version of the flu before, meaning there may be less immunity.

England’s National Health Service said the number of patients hospitalized with norovirus, the vomiting bug, was also rising, with more than 350 beds occupied by people with the virus.

It comes ahead of a strike by resident doctors, the new name for doctors in training, which will begin next week.

There are hopes it will be called off after a fresh offer from Health Secretary Wes Streeting prompted the British Medical Association to agree to poll its members to see if they were willing to call off the five-day strike starting on Wednesday. The results of that survey will be announced Monday.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer accused the BMA of being “irresponsible” and said it should accept the offer on the table, adding that the offer can only go ahead if they stop the strike “particularly in the run-up to Christmas, particularly when we have a flu problem”.

Daniel Elkeles, of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said: “The NHS is in the middle of an early storm. The flu is hitting hard and other winter viruses are emerging.

“Now more than ever, the NHS needs all hands on deck.

“We have to hope that the BMA resident doctors will step back from next week’s strike, accept the government’s sensible offer and end their damaging dispute.”

Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which takes into account infection levels in the community and in hospitals, shows that infection rates are still rising, but not as sharply as the previous week.

But officials stressed that it was too early to take that as a sign that the flu could be peaking.

They said the virus was unpredictable and a lull could be followed by another surge.

UKHSA infectious diseases expert Dr Conall Watson urged people who are eligible for a free flu vaccine on the NHS – which includes over-65s, those with certain health conditions and pregnant women – to come forward if they have not already received one.

“There is still plenty of flu vaccine available to protect those who need it; what is running out is time to be protected before Christmas.

“If you are eligible, this is the last chance to be protected as we approach Christmas, so make an appointment with the NHS today.”

It can take up to two weeks after vaccination to develop maximum protection against the shot, Dr. Watson added.

Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society of Intensive Care Medicine, said winter viruses were putting more pressure on an “already collapsed system”.

He said patients faced long waits in A&E as hospital staff were overloaded with patients.

But he accused NHS England and the government of using him as a “convenient scapegoat” for the “predictable failure” of NHS capacity caused by workforce shortages.

“The situation in emergency departments has become so serious that what was once considered a critical incident is now considered normal and routine. What is happening is not an isolated emergency, but the culmination of a systemic failure.”