Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
Flu infection rates in England have surged dramatically, with the number of hospitalised patients quadrupling in the past month, NHS England has revealed. Over 5,000 people were receiving hospital treatment for flu at the end of last week, nearly 3.5 times higher than the same period in 2023.
Professor Julian Redhead, NHS National Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care, highlighted the seriousness of the situation, stating: “The pressure from flu was nowhere near letting up before we headed into the new year, skyrocketing to over 5,000 cases a day in hospital as of the end of last week and rising at a very concerning rate.”
The surge in flu cases is exacerbating pressure on an already overstretched NHS. Last week, more than 12,200 patients were left waiting in ambulances for over an hour before they could be admitted to hospital. Dr Adrian Boyle, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “What we are seein…
