Overview

• UKHSA’s week 40 bulletin shows COVID-19 circulating at medium levels, with hospital admissions rising to 4.65 per 100,000 from 3.41 and ICU admissions increasing to 0.14 per 100,000.
• People aged 85 and over recorded the highest COVID-19 hospital admission rate at 48.56 per 100,000, up from 34.17 a week earlier.
• Influenza indicators increased, with hospital test positivity reaching 3.3% from 1.9% week on week, while overall flu hospitalisations remained at baseline levels of 0.67 per 100,000.
• The NHS reports 4.3 million flu jabs and more than one million COVID-19 vaccinations given so far this autumn, with the national booking system open to all eligible groups.
• New Omicron-lineage subvariants XFG (Stratus) and NB.1.8.1 (Nimbus) are prevalent in recent samples, while RSV and norovirus remain at baseline or low levels and some hospital trusts have reinstated targeted mask use.