Is the NHS still on high alert for flu?

Yes, the NHS remains on high alert for flu, but there are signs the surge has ended.

How many patients are in UK hospitals with the flu?

Currently, just over 3,000 patients in England's hospitals have the flu.

Has the flu season peaked in the UK?

Current trends suggest the surge in flu cases has stabilized and may have ended for now.

Home / Health / Flu Surge Ends: NHS on Alert, Cases Stabilize

Flu Surge Ends: NHS on Alert, Cases Stabilize

18 Dec

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Summary

Community flu spread has stabilized, according to UK Health Security Agency.
Hospital cases due to flu have significantly slowed their rise.
Fewer than 3,000 patients in English hospitals currently have the virus.

Flu Surge Ends: NHS on Alert, Cases Stabilize

Health officials have indicated that the surge in flu cases across the UK appears to be subsiding, though the NHS remains vigilant. Recent data from the UK Health Security Agency suggests that community spread of the virus has stabilized. This comes as a welcome development following a period of heightened concern.

The rise in hospitalizations linked to influenza has also demonstrably slowed. This trend offers a reprieve for healthcare services, which had braced for a more severe outbreak. The current number of patients hospitalized with the flu in England stands at just over 3,000.

This figure is notably lower than the dire predictions made by NHS chief executive Sir Jim Mackay, who had anticipated between 5,000 and 8,000 cases. The situation is being closely monitored, but the current data suggests the peak of the flu season may have passed for now.