Overview
- Patients in hospital beds with flu rose 9% week on week to 2,924 after two weeks of decline.
- Average daily numbers of patients with norovirus and Covid increased and overall bed occupancy climbed 5% to just under 92%.
- Ambulance services recorded 101,177 handovers for the week, over 5,100 more than last year, with average handover time at 37 minutes 44 seconds, more than 16 minutes quicker year on year but slower than the prior week.
- NHS England has delivered more than 18.6 million flu vaccines this season and will send targeted reminders next week, with thousands of GP appointments still available.
- Officials cite Christmas and New Year socialising and a severe cold snap for the resurgence, which is also driving more respiratory attendances and injuries from slips and falls.