Overview
- UKHSA confirms a drifted A(H3N2) subclade K now dominates circulation in the UK, with activity rising earlier than usual and lab positivity climbing.
- Latest NHS figures show an average of 1,717 flu inpatients a day in England, including 69 in critical care, up 56% on last year and a record for this point in winter.
- The NHS issued UK-wide guidance to stay home when unwell, cover coughs and sneezes, practise hand hygiene, seek advice from 111 or pharmacists, and get vaccinated if eligible.
- NHS Providers chief Daniel Elkeles urged people with cold or flu symptoms to wear masks in public and on transport to curb spread, with No 10 and UKHSA saying masking when unwell is a sensible option.
- Operational strain includes a critical incident at University Hospitals Birmingham with very long A&E waits, local school closures such as St Martin’s in Caerphilly, and warnings that planned resident‑doctor strikes could worsen pressures.