Health experts are urging people not to mix with others at Christmas if they feel unwell as cases of flu and cold are on the rise. According to the latest NHS data hospital admissions for both Covid and flu continue to increase each week.
The rate of Covid-19 hospital admissions stood at 9.6 per 100,000 people last week, slightly above the equivalent rate for flu admissions, at 8.3 per 100,000. A total of 8,643 patients in hospital had tested positive for coronavirus on December 21, a rise of 29 per cent on the previous week.
Although those who test positive while in hospital are not necessarily admitted due to Covid, the cases put additional strain on hospital staff as they have to be isolated. This is on top of pressure from the spread of other winter infections.
