The NHS has warned Londoners to brace for a “tidal wave” of flu as new figures showed that the number of hospital beds in the capital occupied by patients with the disease was up 61 per cent in a week.
An average of 144 beds in the capital were occupied by flu patients in the week up to December 8, a sharp rise on the figure of 89 recorded the previous week.
Experts warned that hospitals are running “red hot”, with some predicting winter could be “one of the worst the NHS has faced”.
The figures come after the NHS warned last week that the health service was facing a “quad-demic” of winter viruses with cases of flu, Covid, norovirus and RSV on the rise.
There were 152 children with RSV in hospital wards in England last week, up from 142 the previous week and higher than at this point in 2023 (107).
An average of 1,015 adult beds were closed due to patients in hospital with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms last week, up 13 per cent in a week.
Separate figures show that there were 2.31 million attendances at A&Es across England in November, making it the busiest November on record.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, said: “The tidal wave of flu cases and other seasonal viruses hitting hospitals is really concerning for patients and for the NHS – the figures are adding to our ‘quad-demic’ worries.
“While the NHS has plans in place to manage additional demand over the busy winter period, with one week left to book your vaccine, I cannot stress enough the importance of getting booked in to protect yourself against serious illness and to avoid ‘festive flu’.”
Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said there is a “real risk that the health service could soon reach crisis point”.
“We welcome the government setting out that patient safety is a priority this year – it is good they have listened to our members highlighting the need to prioritise urgent and emergency care to manage winter pressures. But unless the government can improve capacity in social care, we are concerned that winters will continue to be extremely tough,” she said.
She added that ministers would have to make clear to the public what the “consequences” of the Government’s priority to focus on waiting lists would be.
“Waiting lists have fallen slightly into October, but prioritising patient safety across the urgent and emergency care pathway may cause elective operations to be delayed or cancelled,” she said.
“This could lead to waiting lists going in the wrong direction and patients waiting longer for care.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting urged people eligible for free vaccinations on the NHS to take them “before its too late”.
He said: “Since the general election, we have been ramping up to delivering the extra two million appointments a year, ending the strikes and investing more in the health service.
“As a result, the NHS today is delivering a record number of treatments and waiting lists have begun to fall. There’s a long way to go, but through our plan for change we will get patients seen on time again.
“With A&Es facing record demand, we are continuing to encourage people to protect themselves, their family, and the NHS by getting vaccinated before it’s too late.”
