England tackles 'twindemic' as flu patients surge nearly 80% in hospitals
The number of flu patients in hospitals in England has jumped by nearly 80 per cent in a week, data compiled by the UK's National Health Service shows.
There were 3,746 patients a day in hospital with flu in the week ending on Christmas Day, figures from NHS England show, up from 2,088 a day in the week before. The figures, published on Friday, showed an increase of 79.4 percent.Read More : Chinese cities give out free fever drugs as COVID flares Last month, average daily tallies of flu patients in hospitals stood at 520. The week-on-week jump suggests the virus is recirculating after a hiatus during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. During the same period last year there were only 34 patients in hospital with flu.
The NHS England workforce has also been affected by the spread of viruses as winter sets in, with absences due to Covid each day up almost half on last month, from 5,448 to 8,029.
The total number of workers calling in sick in December has shot up by a fifth from November, from 52,556 to 63,296 a day.
Medical experts in September warned the NHS was facing its worst flu season for years. There are now fears of potential sharp rise in Covid cases due to China reopening its borders, and the UK government is considering introducing restrictions on passengers from that country.
The surge in cases of flu and other viruses has placed additional strain on the NHS, still reeling from two years of the pandemic and, more recently, affected by strike action. Unions representing ambulance workers and nurses are embroiled in disputes with the government over pay, while junior doctors have also indicated they could follow their colleagues in walkouts in the new year.
There were 3,746 patients a day in hospital with flu in the week ending on Christmas Day, figures from NHS England show, up from 2,088 a day in the week before. The figures, published on Friday, showed an increase of 79.4 percent.
The NHS England workforce has also been affected by the spread of viruses as winter sets in, with absences due to Covid each day up almost half on last month, from 5,448 to 8,029.
The total number of workers calling in sick in December has shot up by a fifth from November, from 52,556 to 63,296 a day.
Medical experts in September warned the NHS was facing its worst flu season for years. There are now fears of potential sharp rise in Covid cases due to China reopening its borders, and the UK government is considering introducing restrictions on passengers from that country.
The surge in cases of flu and other viruses has placed additional strain on the NHS, still reeling from two years of the pandemic and, more recently, affected by strike action. Unions representing ambulance workers and nurses are embroiled in disputes with the government over pay, while junior doctors have also indicated they could follow their colleagues in walkouts in the new year.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com
