Alarm grows over flu crisis as Britain faces new icy blast
HEALTH officials last night warned Britons to prepare for “dangerous cold weather” with the country still in the grip of a winter flu epidemic.
Sub-zero temperatures, frosts and snow are set to sweep in next week.
Cases of flu are growing with rates of the illness doubling since the start of the year.
The latest Public Health England figures reveal that 93 people have died since last autumn with 27 deaths reported in the first week of January.
Along with the Met Office, PHE has issued a level-2 cold weather alert for “severe cold weather, icy conditions and heavy snow” between Monday and Thursday.
The alert and readiness caution says: “An active frontal system will move southeastwards across England through Monday, with temperatures becoming gradually colder with increasingly wintry showers.
“The showers will be mainly of snow across northern areas, even down to low levels by the end of the day.”
Scotland is battening down the hatches for 60mph winds, heavy downpours and flash flooding tomorrow night.
Stormy conditions will give way to a freezing blast from the north with -10C (14F) temperatures and snow set to follow.
Severe
The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for snow and ice across Scotland and northern England from Monday evening.
Spokesman Grahame Madge said: “We will go through a bit of transition on Sunday night and into Monday with very strong winds coming in from the north.
“This will also bring heavy showers which will fall as snow over high ground and could also turn wintry to lower levels.
“It will remain unsettled and cold into the middle of next week when there is then some uncertainty as to how the weather will develop.”
Britain will be plunged back into the freezer as health experts issue further warnings to take precautions against killer flu.
Cases of the disease, which include the super-virulent Australian flu, have almost doubled since the start of the year, according to PHE.
There were 758 flu admissions to hospital last week compared to 421 in the final week of December, official figures reveal.
Professor Paul Cosford, PHE’s medical director, 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. We encourage anyone who is eligible to take up their offer of the flu vaccine – it is not too late.”
Met Office chief forecaster Laura Paterson said the severe weather threatens to knock out power supplies and interrupt mobile phone signals.
She said: “Frequent and heavy hail and snow showers are likely to affect many parts of Scotland from Monday evening, continuing for much of the day on Tuesday.
“Travel delays on roads are possible, with a small chance of cancellations to public transport.
“There is a small chance that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected.
“In addition some roads and pavements may become icy, increasing the chance of injuries from slips and falls.”
Temperatures this weekend will dip to around -3C overnight in the North with temperatures only marginally higher elsewhere. The mercury will plummet to -10C in exposed rural regions next week with the South expected to dip below freezing.
Exacta Weather’s James Madden said: “The snow will initially hit many northern and western areas later this weekend with 60mph winds in parts of Scotland.
“Severe weather could impact travel and lead to school closures next week. We are looking at a notable and lengthy spell of widespread wintry weather.”