This year’s flu season started earlier than usual and is yet to reach a peak (Image: Getty )

An earlier than usual flu season saw almost 2,000 people in UK hospitals with the illness by the end of November, new data shows. Health bosses said that the NHS is facing an "unprecedented wave" of infections this winter - and more than a hundred of those patients are in North East hospitals.

That's according to the health service's first "winter situation report" of the season - and the figures show that as of November 29, a total of 126 flu patients in NHS beds across four North East hospital trusts. That's an increase of ten on the same point in 2024 - though this is offset as the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust was actually treating twenty more flu patients a year ago.

Howev

See Full Page