The number of people hospitalized with the flu has increased sevenfold in a month as NHS leaders said a dangerous influenza and Covid ‘tweenemia’ has arrived.
New data released on Friday shows 3,746 flu patients were hospitalized daily last week, up from 520 a month earlier. Of those who were hospitalized last week, 267 were in intensive care beds. The total increased by nearly 80 percent in seven days. At the same time last year, there were only 34 flu patients in the hospital, two of them in intensive care.
NHS staff have also been hit by the spread of the virus this winter, with the number of daily Covid passes almost doubling from last month to 8,029 from 5,448. to 63,296 a day, adding to the overall pressure on the health service as it grapples with the aftermath of this month’s strikes.
Bed occupancy is still particularly high, with more than nine out of ten beds occupied (over 93 percent), compared with 86 percent in the same period last year. Inclination to call 111 has also remained high, with nearly 600,000 calls (599,622) received in the last week, up more than two-thirds from 365,338 at the same time last year.
Hospital capacity continues to be impacted by late discharges, with 12,313 beds per day occupied by patients no longer eligible for stay, but the National Health Service said its staff are “doing their best” to ensure that so many patients can spend Christmas. at home with loved ones. The figure was the lowest since August 2022.
Professor Sir Stephen Powys, National Medical Director of the NHS, said: “Unfortunately, this latest flu data shows that our fears of a ‘tweendemic’ have become a reality, with cases up seven-fold in just one month and the impact of Covid on the staff remains heavy. with attendant absenteeism by almost 50 percent by the end of November.
“In addition to the flu, the NHS is still under significant pressure, with high bed occupancy rates, over 12,000 beds occupied by patients medically fit for discharge, and demand for 111 service remains strong, so please do it Best of 111 online and emergency call only 999 or visit A&E.
“Obviously this is not the time to be complacent and the risk of serious illness is very real, so with almost 350,000 vaccination appointments available next week, it’s important that everyone who qualifies gets in touch with their Covid-19 to confirm flu shot. as soon as possible. ”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.