London is being hit by an unprecedented flu wave with cases already at a record high, NHS chiefs are warning.
They also stressed that there was “no peak yet in sight” as the virus sweeps through the capital.
They issued an urgent appeal to Londoners to get vaccinated after a tripling of flu hospitalisations in the city.
Dr Chris Streather, medical director for NHS London, also urged people to stay at home if they have flu-like symptoms rather than risk spreading the virus on the Tube, buses, trains, and in the work place.
He also appealed to Londoners to forgo Christmas parties if they have a cough or sneezing to avoid spreading the virus to others.
The flu mutation sending cases spiralling in London is more contagious than variants of past years, according to health sources.
A 'drifted' influenza A(H3N2) strain, also now known as 'subclade K' or 'superflu', is dominating cases.
The health bosses also warned that hospitals in the capital will come under the double pressure from the flu crisis and resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, walking out in their latest strike in the run-up to Christmas.
The Government urged the doctors to call off their industrial action.
“As we enter the weeks in the run-up to Christmas, it’s always a very difficult job for the NHS,” said Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, on the morning media round for the Government on Tuesday.
“We need people to feel confident when they have to go to hospital in the weeks and months ahead that the staff are going to be there.”
She added: “The junior doctors have had a 28% pay increase over the last couple of years.
“It was the most generous pay increase that any part of the public sector had.
“I do think that the British people want to see doctors at work.”
Every day, an average of 259 patients took up a London hospital bed in the week beginning 24th November because of flu, triple the daily average of 89 this time last year.
Dr Chris Streather, Chief Medical Director for the NHS in London, said: “The NHS has prepared earlier for winter than ever before, but despite this, we know that surging flu cases, coinciding with industrial action by resident doctors, will put pressure on services in the coming weeks.
“While we’ve vaccinated over 1.8 million people this season, there are still vulnerable people who haven’t come forward.
“If you’re in one of the eligible groups and you haven’t had your flu vaccine yet, I urge you to come forward as soon as possible - it’s never too late.”
Health chiefs added: “With flu cases at a record high and no peak yet in sight, London’s NHS system is facing an unprecedented flu wave this winter.”
They urged people to get vaccinated now to get “maximum protection” from the jab before Christmas.
The flu crisis has echoes of the Covid pandemic which hit London hardest in early 2020.
Nearly 6,000 Londoners died due to the virus within weeks of the “deadly delay” criticised by the Covid Inquiry in ordering the first lockdown.
Viruses often spread through the capital quicker than other regions due to the high usage of buses, trains and the Tube, high population density, and having some of the most deprived communities in the country which can be more vulnerable due to low take-up of vaccines.
Ambulance crews in London are now also dealing with a “significantly higher” number of cases as the flu rips through the capital.
There were over 16,500 ambulance handovers last week, an average of 2,363 a day, compared to last year when the figures were 15,500 handovers, or around 2,200 on average a day.
Dr. Fenella Wrigley, Chief Medical Officer for the London Ambulance Service, stressed: “I strongly urge all eligible people to get a flu vaccination.
“We are extremely busy and our 999 control rooms are taking a number of calls from people with flu or similar viral illnesses.”
She added: “Flu can make you feel very unwell, but most healthy people recover with rest, fluids and products available at your pharmacy to manage symptoms.
“We need our clinicians to be available to help the people who are more seriously unwell with flu or other conditions.”
Ambulance handover times are almost 10 minutes faster than last year but crews are handling hundreds more patients a week.
London pharmacies, GPs and community services have already delivered more than 1.8 million flu vaccinations this season.
So many elderly people, pregnant women and individuals with underlying health conditions have had the jab and will be protected.
But many more people are eligible for the vaccination in the capital.
