AS FLU CRISIS ESCALATES... EXPERTS WARN ANOTHER ICY BLAST IS ON WAY
WINTER flu has claimed the lives of 85 people so far as fears grow it could be the worst UK outbreak in 50 years.
The death toll is more than three times the number at the same stage in 2016, while the number of people admitted to intensive care has risen by 65 per cent in the first week of the year.
It comes as an icy blast is set to hit Britain next week, with fears for the health of the elderly and vulnerable.
There has been a 50 per cent increase in the rate of hospital admissions for flu cases in the first week. Public Health England said there had also been a 78 per cent increase in GP consultations for flu-like illness.
Since October the killer virus has put 1,938 people in hospital – 25 per cent with the so-called Australian strain and half with Japanese flu.
Different strains of the seasonal virus are placing huge pressure on overstretched health services with 22,000 patients turning up at doctors’ surgeries in the first week of the year with flu-like symptoms.
There has also been a massive spike in cases of the common cold, acute bronchitis, respiratory system diseases and asthma, which experts fear will intensify as the weather turns colder.
Professor Paul Cosford, medical director at PHE, said: “Our data shows that more people are visiting GPs with flu symptoms and we are seeing more people admitted to hospital with flu.
“We are currently seeing a mix of flu types, including the A(H3N2) strain that circulated last winter in the UK and then in Australia. The A(H3N2) strain particularly affects older, more vulnerable age groups.” Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: “These figures back up what GPs across the country are telling us. Things are incredibly busy and demand is increasing, not just with flu but other common winter illnesses as well.”
Figures show hospital bed occupancy rates running at near full capacity while the target of seeing 95 per cent of A&E patients within four hours has not been met since July 2015.
Among the flu victims was a hero RAF fighter pilot credited with inflicting devastating losses on the Germans during the Second World War. Wing Commander Owen Hardy, of Port Solent, Hants, died aged 95 last week. His daughter Debbie Elliott said: “He’s not just a huge loss for us but a huge loss for the nation. He was part of a very special generation.”
The flu toll comes as a leaked letter to Theresa May from the heads of more than 60 A&E departments warns that patients are “dying prematurely” in corridors. Consultants in charge of emergency departments in 68 acute hospitals across England and Wales said: “Current level of safety compromise is at times intolerable, despite the best efforts of staff.”
They asked Mrs May to consider supporting strategies to reduce crowding including a “significant increase” in social care funding and an urgent review of the number of hospital beds available for acute care.
The Royal College of Nursing said almost 100 per cent of hospital beds were full every day last week, referring to it as “a watershed moment” for the health service.
NHS England said despite “the clear pressure in December” it managed to hold A&E performance at the same level as last January, and added: “We also saw the best seasonal performance on NHS delayed transfers of care [bed blocking] in four years and went into winter with cancer and routine surgery waits both showing improvements.”