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As flu cases surge rapidly, NHS England is urging eligible individuals to get vaccinated by visiting a pharmacy that offers the flu vaccine. Latest NHS data shows flu cases in hospitals have quadrupled in just one month, with over 5,000 patients hospitalised with the virus at the end of last week, up from 1,190 on November 29. During the week ending December 29, there were an average of 4,469 flu patients in hospitals each day, nearly 3.5 times higher than the same week last year, including 211 in critical care daily. On Christmas Day, there were 4,102 flu patients in hospitals, and the number surged by nearly a quarter to 5,074 by Sunday, December 29. In addition to the flu, hospitals are facing ongoing pressure from Covid, RSV, and norovirus.

NHS England is encouraging people to get their flu and Covid vaccines as hospitals dealt with the highest number of norovirus and flu cases this winter. An average of 688 patients with norovirus were in hospital each day last week, 75 per cent higher than the same time last year (393), according to the latest data from NHS England. The data also showed an average of 2,226 patients with flu in hospital each day last week, which is three-quarters higher than the same week last January (1,290). Compared to last month, there has been an 80 per cent increase in the daily count of norovirus cases and 70 per cent in flu cases. In the week ending Dec 31, NHSE recorded 1,312 hospital admissions due to norovirus and 376 and 1,312 flu cases each day.

Healthcare staff across England are facing increasing winter pressures amid junior doctor's strikes, as thousands of hospital beds are being occupied by patients with flu, norovirus and Covid-19. The number of flu patients in hospital has increased by almost two thirds in a week, according to the latest weekly update from the National health Service (NHS). New NHS figures published on Thursday showed an average of 648 patients were hospitalised with flu per day this week before the industrial action, up from 402 last week. This lasts number is four times the figure reported at the end of last month (160 per in the week ending 26 November).

Well Pharmacy is urging those eligible to take up the offer of a further Covid booster jab this spring. Adults aged 75 years and over and anyone over 5 years old and are immunosuppressed - such as those who are undergoing chemotherapy or have had an organ transplant - are entitled to have a further Covid booster jab from mid-April, said one of the UK's largest community pharmacy chains. Taking part in the vaccination programme again, Well Pharmacy is encouraging people to book another booster as soon as they are contacted by the NHS - which should be at least six months after their previous booster. The national booking site for those eligible opens this week. The jabs have been updated since the vaccines were introduced to now target newer strains of Covid-19, Well said in a press release issued on Wednesday, 5 April. Thousands of people are still testing positive for Covid each week according to Government data, and - while hospitalisations are down - a large number of people are still being hospitalised with Covid, so getting jabbed is as important as ever. And the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recently confirmed that hospital admissions last autumn highlighted that the risk of becoming seriously ill from coronavirus was noticeably higher in people over 75.

Frontline doctors have sounded the alarm over the rising pressure on emergency departments in hospitals across the country as winter virus cases are "creeping up". An average of 234 people were in hospital with flu every day last week, a 53 per cent increase compared to the week before, according to new NHS data. Hospital norovirus cases increased by 15 per cent last week, with an average 406 people hospitalised each day, a 28 per cent increase from the same week last year. Measures to stop the spread of norovirus to other patients led to the closure of an average of 92 beds were closed each day last week.