Shocking numbers reveal full extent of flu wave spreading across the country
Country hit by ‘tidal wave of flu’ as masks return to hospitals
- England's hospitals are facing a record number of flu patients for this time of year, with admissions soaring by 55 per cent in a single week to an average of 2,660 daily.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned of a "tidal wave of flu", while NHS national medical director Professor Meghana Pandit described it as an "unprecedented wave of super flu" creating a "worst-case scenario" for the health service.
- The surge has led some hospitals to request staff, patients, and visitors wear face masks, with reports of critical incidents and declining patient care standards, including patients being reviewed in waiting rooms.
- The NHS is also grappling with a potential five-day strike by resident doctors, though Mr Streeting has offered a last-minute deal to the British Medical Association (BMA) in an attempt to avert the industrial action.
- Alongside rising flu and norovirus cases, the waiting list for planned hospital treatment has slightly increased, with health officials urging eligible individuals to get vaccinated against flu.