Hospitals on ‘high alert’ though early signs flu surge is slowing

Hospitals across England remain on ‘high alert’ this week amid ongoing industrial action and sustained pressure from winter viruses – though early signs suggest the rise in flu cases may be slowing.

The number of flu patients in hospital reached 3,140 by the end of last week, the highest recorded for this point in the season and an 18% increase on the previous week.

Cases of norovirus and other diarrhoea and vomiting illnesses are also rising, with an average of 427 cases in hospital each day last week, up 20% on the week before.

However, health leaders say there are welcome indications that flu levels are not climbing as steeply as initially feared. This is thought in part to have been helped by higher vaccination rates.

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Regional variation

In the North West, hospital flu cases fell by 4% over the past week – a slowdown thought to be driven by higher vaccination rates and increased public action to protect elderly and vulnerable people, according to NHS England.

More than 18 million people in England have now received a flu vaccine, 306,000 more than at the same point last year.

But at the same time, flu cases continue to rise sharply in other regions, increasing by 39% in the East of England and 40% in the South West.

High levels of respiratory illness have seen hospital beds fill rapidly, with average occupancy at 94.2% last week, NHS England added.

Staff absences also increased by more than 1,100 in a single week and were up 9% compared with the same period two years ago.

‘Nowhere near out of the woods’

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.

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‘Combined with the impact of strikes, a stream of winter viruses means many hospitals will be on high alert in the days ahead.’

‘But it remains vital that people continue to come forward for NHS care as normal.’

Professor Pandit repeated calls for anyone eligible to come forward for their flu vaccine, noting that ‘it’s not too late’.

Doctor’s strikes 

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said frontline services are under ‘enormous pressure’ and thanked NHS staff for their work so far – especially amid the five-day strike by resident doctors in England, which began on Wednesday, organised by the British Medical Association (BMA).

‘The BMA’s regrettable decision to pursue strike action at this critical moment is piling on the pressure, but the NHS team has responded brilliantly to keep the show on the road,’ Mr Streeting said.

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Last week, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) issued an urgent plea to the government to invest in both the profession and hospital beds – including by supporting community services and social care – amid an ‘unprecedented wave of super flu’.

Last month, England’s chief nursing officer (CNO) issued an ‘urgent SOS’ appeal to those eligible for a flu vaccination to get their appointment booked in before the worst of the flu season hits.