Surgeries still inundated with flu sufferers

SURGERIES AND HOSPITALS ALREADY UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE COPING WITH PEOPLE’S WINTER AILMENTS

GPS in Coventry are still reporting very high numbers of consultations for flu-like symptoms.

Based on the rate of consultations compared to previous years, GPs in both Coventry and Warwickshire were reporting that rates in the week to January 28 were very high.

Consultation rates in Warwickshire have been very high throughout January, but in Coventry they have increased from high in the first week of the year.

Outbreaks of flu are continuing in the Midlands and East of England, and numbers are up on last year.

There were 56 new acute respiratory outbreaks reported in the region in the week to January 28, similar numbers to the previous two weeks, when there was 57 and 54 respectively.

The number in the week to January 28, was more than twice the 22 reported in the same week in 2017, and up from six in the same week in 2016 and 24 in 2015.

It comes at a time when GP surgeries and hospitals are under increasing pressure as they cope with winter ailments.

Most cases of flu do not warrant a visit to the GP, particularly as antibiotics are ineffective in its treatment. The past six weeks have seen 282 acute respiratory outbreaks in places like care homes, hospitals and schools in the region, compared to 214 reported during the same period last year. The Midlands and East of England is still seeing very high rates of hospital admissions due to flu, with around seven per 100,000 people in the week to January 28, although the rate has fallen slightly from the previous week.

Based on GP consultation rates for influenza-like illnesses, flu in England is still at medium activity rates, with 52.1 consultations per 100,000 people in week 04 compared to 54.1 per 100,000 in week 03.

By age group, the highest rates were seen in 45-64 year olds (65.5 per 100,000) and 15-44 year olds (52.8 per 100,000). Across England, 173 new acute respiratory outbreaks have been reported in week to January 28 compared to 229 in the previous week. Of these 33 outbreaks tested positive for influenza A (unknown subtype), while 45 tested positive for influenza B, and two were a mix of both types.

Influenza is caused by a virus, which was first identified in 1933. There are two main types that cause infection, influenza A and influenza B. Influenza A is usually a more severe infection than influenza B.

The influenza virus is antigenically unstable and new strains and variants are constantly emerging. Each year one or two subtypes of influenza A may be in circulation and one type of influenza B.

In the week to January 28, there were 177 new admissions to ICU/ HDU with confirmed influenza reported across the UK. A total of 30 deaths were reported to have occurred in the week to January 21 in the UK.

Most cases of influenza do not warrant a visit to the GP, particularly as antibiotics are ineffective in its treatment.