69 people in critical care, 1,717 in hospital as virus surges 50pc View Image

The number of people in hospital in England with flu is more than 50% higher than the figure at this point in 2024, according to the first of this year’s NHS winter situation reports. An average of 1,717 flu patients were in beds in England each day last week, including 69 in critical care.

This is up sharply by 56% on the equivalent numbers for the same week in 2024, when the total was 1,098 with 39 in critical care. It is also higher than at this point in 2023, when there were an average of 243 flu patients, and in 2022, when the average was 772.

The figures have been published by the NHS as part of its first weekly snapshot of the performance of hospitals in England this winter. An average of 261 adu

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