Hospital flu cases drop as NHS on cold weather alert

The number of flu patients in hospital in England has fallen, but NHS bosses warn the cold spell could put further pressure on the health service in the coming days.

Early January is usually the busiest time of year for the health service, so NHS England said the decline in flu cases was welcome.

There were 2,676 people in hospital with the virus last week, up from just over 3,000 the week before.

But the UK Health Safety Authority (UKHSA) has issued cold weather warnings across England due to the freezing weather, meaning it is likely to have a significant impact on public health in the coming days.

Amber cold alerts are in effect from 20:00 GMT on Friday until 10:00 on 9 January.

The UKHSA warns that impacts could include a likely increase in demand for health services, problems maintaining temperatures in hospitals and staffing issues due to external factors such as travel delays.

NHS England medical director Professor Meghana Pandit said: “It is encouraging to see a decline in the number of people hospitalized with flu, thanks in part to the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff, with more than half a million more people vaccinated against flu compared to the same time last year.”

But she added: “The NHS is far from complacent as temperatures drop and this is likely to increase pressure in the new year and demand for services will remain high as the NHS 111 service recorded its second busiest day in two years on Saturday.

“It is important that the public continue to use 999 and A&E only in life-threatening emergencies and use the NHS 111 and 111 online numbers in other cases.”

The decline in flu cases was expected as figures before Christmas showed the number of flu cases. influenza circulating in the community has begun to decline. Similar trends are being seen in the rest of the UK.

It comes as the NHS released dire predictions that flu hospital admissions could rise to record levels due to a mutated version of the virus circulating this winter.

Experts say the virus could still bounce back in the coming weeks.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said while the NHS was busy, there were some encouraging signs, with hospital bed occupancy and ambulance delays lower than this time last year.

But he said: “We continue to face a lot of pressure and with this cold snap adding further challenges, it is more important than ever that those eligible get the flu jab and people only go to the emergency department in emergencies.”