Norovirus hospital cases hit new winter high

The number of patients in hospital in England with norovirus has risen for the fourth week in a row to hit a new high for this winter.

The ‘winter vomiting bug’ continues to build demand in hospitals, with an average of 950 hospital beds filled each day last week by people with diarrhoea, vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms.

This is up 15 per cent from the previous week’s average of 823 patients, and is also higher than the figure at this point last year, which was 898 patients.

The data has been published in the latest weekly snapshot of the performance of hospitals in England this winter.

Flu rates have dropped since last month’s peak, but there was still an average of 1,987 patients in hospital with flu and an average of 647 patients in hospital with Covid-19 per day last week.

NHS national medical director, Professor Meghana Pandit, said: “Seasonal viruses continue to cause disruption and take up hospital beds, with cases of the winter vomiting bug triple what they were at the start of the month.

“You can prevent the spread of norovirus by frequent handwashing with soap and water and not returning to work, school or visiting hospitals until you are 48 hours symptom-free."

Latest vaccination data shows 18.8 million flu vaccines have been delivered since the autumn – around half a million more than at the same point last year.

There have also been 4.7 million Covid-19 vaccinations delivered so far this season and 2.5 million RSV vaccinations since the rollout kicked off, including almost 485,000 to pregnant women, helping to protect their babies against respiratory viruses from the moment they are born.

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said: “Winter pressures haven’t gone away, but the NHS is meeting them head on. If you’re eligible, get vaccinated, follow public health advice and help us keep the service there for everyone who needs it.”

Latest NHS figures also show there were 94,551 ambulance handovers last week – higher than the busiest week last year which saw 94,493 in the week ending 29 December 2024, and up almost 1,000 on the week before, and over 3,250 more than the same week last year.

Despite this, the average handover time last week was 34 minutes and 32 seconds, which is almost three minutes faster than the week before.

Mr Streeting added: “This winter has pushed the NHS hard, but staff are delivering. Ambulances are handing over faster, delays are coming down and flu is taking up fewer hospital beds than last year, even with demand running at near-record levels.”