It’s Flu-maggedon: Hospitalisations continue to soar by a fifth in a week… but the doctors are still striking – so how is YOUR local hospital faring?

Hospital flu cases have hit a record high again amid a ‘super flu’ outbreak.

Surveillance programs tracking the outbreak in England show flu hospital admissions have increased by almost a fifth compared to last week.

Figures show more than 3,100 beds were filled by flu patients each day last week alone; This is the highest figure ever for this time of year.

Of these, 128 were in critical care beds; That was one-fifth of the 106 beds that entered the previous week.

There was a 33 percent increase in flu patients in south-east England, a 21 percent increase in north-east England and Yorkshire, and an 18 percent increase in London.

At this point in 2024 the number of people hospitalized with flu in England was 2,629, while in 2023 the number was just 648.

But NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackie told MPs yesterday that although it was ‘still early days’, flu admissions ‘could start to settle in some parts of the country’.

But hospitals are still under pressure from rising levels of the winter vomiting bug norovirus, which has risen by a fifth on the previous week.

England’s chief doctor said today that despite a slowdown in flu cases, the health service is ‘not yet out of control’.

But it comes as junior doctors, known as former junior doctors, took to the picket line yesterday for the first of their five-day strike over pay and working conditions.

This is the 14th strike action by paramedics since 2023 for a 26 percent wage increase.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has rejected calls to arbitrate with the Government over an increasingly bitter dispute.

Authorities have warned that up to 70,000 operations and appointments could be canceled between now and Monday, when the strike ends.

Health bosses warn patients ‘probably [strike’s] ‘Coup’ amid a flu sweeping through England.

NHS National Medical Director Meghana Pandit said today: ‘While some parts of the country are breathing a sigh of relief that flu cases are not rising as quickly as feared, we are not yet out of the woods.

The influx of winter viruses combined with the impact of the strikes means many hospitals will be on high alert in the coming days.

‘But it is vital that people continue to come forward for NHS care as normal.

‘If you need urgent help, call 999 in an emergency or use NHS 111 for other care needs.

‘And if you’re eligible, please come forward for a jab, it’s not too late.’

Health minister West Streeting added: ‘Influenza continues to put significant pressure on the NHS, with record numbers of patients in hospitals and frontline services left under enormous pressure.

‘I appeal to the public to protect yourself and your loved ones by getting the flu vaccine.

‘I would like to thank NHS staff who have gone above and beyond during the most difficult time of the year.

‘Thanks to their hard work and careful planning, ambulance handovers were approximately eight minutes faster than this time last year.

‘The BMA’s regrettable decision to take strike action at this critical moment adds to the pressure, but the NHS team provided an excellent response to keep the demonstration on the road.

‘Our entire focus is on keeping patients safe through strikes and this busy period for the NHS.’

Yesterday, shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew claimed he had heard cancer patients ‘fearful’ for their lives during strike action.

‘These are real people waiting to receive the treatment they have been preparing for some time. “We’re getting messages from all over the country,” he told Sky News.

‘A woman who contacted me to say that her cancer treatment will not happen in the next five days says, in her own words, ‘I fear for my life.’

‘I wish the BMA had acted better, sending its members back to hospitals where they were needed, but I thank the junior doctors who did not actually return to work to help in this very difficult situation.’

The problematic mutant H3N2 flu strain is believed to be behind the increase in flu cases.

Birmingham University Hospitals was again the hospital with the highest number of flu-related hospitalizations last week, with 249 beds occupied as of December 14.

This is called subclass K or ‘super flu’ It mutated seven times over the summer, helping it evade previous immunity, and is believed to affect the elderly more.

Admissions have risen by up to 40 per cent in some parts of the country, new NHS figures show; 94 per cent of hospital beds across England are now occupied.

There was a 40 per cent increase in applications in the South West and a 39 per cent increase in the East of England.

The North West was the only region where cases fell by 4 per cent last week.

This slowdown is thought to be due to high vaccination rates and the public taking additional steps to protect the elderly and vulnerable, health leaders said.

Nine hospital trusts have seen the number of flu admissions more than double in a week.

These included Kingston Hospital, Isle of Wight, Dorset County Hospital, Bristol and Weston University Hospitals, Wirral University Teaching Hospital and Epsom and St Helier.

Birmingham University Hospitals saw its highest number of flu hospital admissions again last week, with 249 beds occupied as of December 14.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust followed with 107 beds.

Meanwhile, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and Barts Health NHS Trust recorded 103 and 101 beds occupied by flu patients.

The flu also led to high levels of hospital staff absenteeism.

That figure increased by more than 1,100 in one week, compared to 4,500 (nine percent) in the same week two years ago, officials said.

Since September, health authorities have been urging millions of eligible people to get Covid and flu vaccinations to reduce the risk of becoming seriously unwell and needing hospital care.

Last week bosses issued an urgent appeal for parents to vaccinate their children against flu to protect their grandparents at Christmas.

over 18Millions of vaccines have now been administered in the UK – up 306,000 from this time last year.

People over the age of 65, those with long-term health problems, pregnant women, care home residents and caregivers can benefit from free vaccination.

Children aged 2 to 17 are entitled to a free flu vaccine on the NHS, usually as a nasal spray; GPs offer this vaccine for two and three year olds.

However, Wes Streeting also announced that there is no need to wear a mask ‘at this stage’.