Surge in super flu cases plunges NHS into ‘worst case scenario’ before Christmas

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Soaring flu rates have plunged the NHS into a “worst-case scenario” as it faces a week of doctors’ strikes, with chiefs warning infections are yet to reach their peak.

The number of people in hospital in England with flu is at a record level for this time of year, with numbers more than doubling – 55 per cent – in a week, new NHS figures show.

An average of 2,660 flu patients were in hospital each day last week, up from 1,717 the previous week. At this point last year, the number stood at 1,861 patients, while in 2023 it was just 402.

Weekly flu numbers in England peaked at 5,408 patients last winter and reached 5,441 over the winter of 2022-23, the highest level since the pandemic.

The figures come as the UK faces a new “mutant” strain of flu, called H3N2, which can cause more severe symptoms. H3N2 is different from the strain that this year’s vaccines were designed to protect against.

The flu wave comes as resident doctors are set to strike next week, which the government has attempted to avert with a last-ditch offer to union the British Medical Association.

Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS National Medical Director, said: “With record demand for A&E and ambulances and an impending resident doctors strike, this unprecedented wave of super flu is leaving the NHS facing a worst-case scenario for this time of year – with staff being pushed to the limit to keep providing the best possible care for patients.

“The number of patients in the hospital with flu is extremely high for this time of year.

“Even worse, it continues to rise, and the peak is not in sight yet, so the NHS faces an extremely challenging few weeks ahead.”

The weekly figures show there were 106 flu patients in critical care beds in England last week – up from 69 the week prior and another record for this time of year.

Norovirus-like cases are also up, with an average of 354 hospital beds filled each day last week by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms- up 35 per cent from 263 the previous week.

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