Winter flu cases swamping NHS
Infections double in a week ++ Surge declared ‘extraordinary’ ++ Fears of Covid ‘twindemic’
SCOTLAND has been hit by an ‘extraordinary’ surge in flu cases amid a ‘twindemic’ of influenza and Covid-19.
The number of people testing positive for flu almost doubled in the past week and hospital cases have more than doubled.
In the latest crisis to hit Scotland’s NHS, the surge has been classed as ‘extraordinary’ by public health officials – the highest possible rating.
Yesterday Calum Campbell, chief executive of NHS Lothian, said: ‘Our teams across the health and social care system are facing sustained and relentless challenge. The system is under horrendous pressure and the challenges our teams are facing are uncharted.
‘We are experiencing more cases of infection – flu, Covid and respiratory syncytial virus, as well as norovirus – than ever before.’
He urged the public to ‘take sensible precautions to prevent infection, especially if you have underlying health conditions or plan to be with those that do’.
A total of 1,358 people were hit by flu in the past week, up from 785 the previous week. The level of cases is 24.9 per 100,000, the highest in five years and classed as ‘extraordinary’ by public health officials, the highest activity rating that can be given.
Public Health Scotland figures to December 18, the most recent available, show 410 people were in hospital with flu, a rise from 195 the week before.
The overall hospitalisation rate for flu was 7.5 per 100,000 and the highest rate was in children under the age of one at 32.9 per 100,000.
Meanwhile, figures show one in 50 Scots is infected with Covid-19. In the week ending December 18 there were 872 patients in hospital, a rise of 18 per cent in a week.
While flu is relatively mild for most people, it can cause severe illness in those with weaker immune systems including the elderly and children, with some patients requiring critical care including ventilators.
South of the Border, an average of 3,746 people with flu were in hospital across the seven days to December 25, up week-on-week from 2,088.
NHS England national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: ‘Sadly, these latest flu numbers show our fears of a “twindemic” have been realised, with cases up sevenfold in just a month and the continued impact of Covid hitting staff hard.’
Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said: ‘The flu season doesn’t normally peak until after New Year but this season started early and we’re seeing an abrupt rise in cases.
‘During pandemic lockdowns people were not mixing much and flu struggled to survive but now it has come back.
‘People don’t have as much immunity, having not been exposed to flu and colds for a couple of years.’
Earlier this week, Dr Lailah Peel, deputy chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said studies
‘Horrendous pressure’
had shown that one in every 82 A&E patients who wait more than eight hours will die as a result of delays in receiving treatment.
As 4,536 patients waited eight hours or more in the latest week, Dr Peel said this suggested ‘at least 55 people will die simply because of complications from waiting to be admitted into hospital’.
Flu cases have been rising steadily for weeks but despite 1.9million Scots adults receiving the flu vaccine, uptake is low in some priority groups.
Only 35 per cent of social care workers have had the jab and 53 per cent of people aged 50 to 64. Among adults with pre-existing health conditions, uptake is only 56 per cent.