Surge in flu patients in intensive care as hospitals face mounting pressure

There are fresh warnings about the pressure mounting on England's NHS after another surge in flu cases, as ITV News' Health Correspondent Rebecca Barry reports

Hospitals in England have seen a rise in the number of patients being admitted to intensive care with flu, as NHS leaders warn they are facing mounting pressure this winter.

NHS figures show the number of people in hospital with flu has jumped by 41% in a week – this is four times higher than at the same point last year.

Health leaders warn the situation could get "worse before it gets better" as Christmas and festive gatherings take place.

In the intensive care unit at Kings Mill hospital in Nottinghamshire, doctors told ITV News four people have been admitted after becoming critically ill with the flu.

One patient is a 42-year-old father of three who has been in an induced coma for a week. He was previously fit and healthy.

His partner, Alex, told ITV News: "It almost becomes a new norm where you feel like you're in a dream and you're just functioning because you have to function.

"But that's really difficult. Everybody is hoping and praying for him to make a speedy recovery, and I think we're coming to terms with the fact that it's not necessarily going to be speedy."

Phaedra Kay, a critical care nurse at King's Mill hospital, said the unit is "exceptionally busy" and every bed was "filled" on Thursday morning.

"We have proned patients, which means turning them onto their tummies to ventilate them better, which is something we did a lot during Covid," she said.

As a result of the surge in flu cases, the hospital has reintroduced the wearing of face masks.

According to the latest NHS data, an average of 2,629 flu patients were in beds in England each day last week, 2,504 in general or acute (G&A) beds and 125 in critical care.

This is up 41% from a total of 1,861 patients the previous week, when 1,795 were in G&A beds and 66 were in critical care.

It is also more than four times the figure at this stage in 2023, when the total stood at 648, and higher than the equivalent week in 2022, when the average was 2,088.

NHS England are continuing to urge people to get their flu jabs as leaders say they have been "hit hard with an early festive flu season."

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “As children finish school and friends and families congregate over the Christmas period we expect viruses to continue to spread so if you haven’t got your flu jab and are eligible please come forward."

It comes after officials warned of a so-called “quad-demic” of disease; flu, Covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and norovirus.

Last week, the NHS also warned that a "tidal wave" of flu is hitting hospitals.

Have you heard The Trapped? Listen as Daniel Hewitt exposes the UK's dirty secret