The number of hospital beds taken up by patients with norovirus reached a record high last week.
An average 1,160 patients a day were in hospital with norovirus last week - a 22 per cent increase on the previous week (948) and more than double the same period last year (509).
Meanwhile, flu cases are on the way down, but still putting pressure on front-line services. There was an average number of 1,755 patients with flu in beds last week, including 87 in critical care, down 14 per cent on the week before (2,039).
Last week, 95.4 per cent of adult beds were occupied, and there was a total of 97,152 patients in hospital each day. Almost 1 in 7 seven beds were taken up by patients who did not need to be there.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, said: “It is concerning to see the number of patients with norovirus hit an all-time high and there is no let up for hospital staff who are working tirelessly to treat more than a thousand patients each day with the horrible bug, on top of other winter viruses.
“To help stop the spread of norovirus, it is important to remember to wash your hands frequently with soap and water and avoid mixing with other people until you have not had symptoms for two days.
“Hospitals continue to run at near capacity, with added pressure from almost one in seven beds taken up by patients who don’t need to be in hospital, and as these pressure continue it is vital that the public continue to use 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies and use NHS 111 – and 111 online – if you need advice and support for other conditions.”
Health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting said: “Today’s data shows the NHS is continuing to grapple with winter pressures across the country and I want to thank all the NHS staff working tirelessly in difficult conditions.
“We have taken action to support the NHS this winter, including delivering millions of vaccinations for people up and down the country, rolling out the RSV vaccine for the first time and ending the resident doctor strikes so that staff are on the front line, not the picket line for the first winter in three years.
“It will take time, but through our Plan for Change, we will get the NHS back on its feet.”
