Health officials have warned that hospitals are "nowhere near out of the woods yet", with flu cases persisting at record levels for this time of year. This alarming situation emerges as resident doctors in England enter their second day of strike action, embroiled in a bitter dispute with the Government over jobs and pay.
The dual challenge of industrial action and surging flu levels means hospitals remain on "high alert", health officials confirmed. New NHS figures indicate a continued rise in the number of people hospitalised with flu across England, maintaining record levels for this period, though the rate of growth has decelerated.
