More than 98,000 patients were in hospital last week (Image: Getty)
have experienced their busiest week yet this , with more than 98,000 patients on wards last week, as cases of the winter vomiting bug continued to rise. Some 961 beds were filled by those suffering from , up 7% from 898 the previous week.
rates have fallen from a peak last month but more than 2,462 patients were still hospitalised with the illness on average each day last week, including 122 in critical care.
accounted for 952 beds, down slightly from 995 the previous week, and 18 children were being treated for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Amy Douglas, an epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency, urged anyone affected by nasty norovirus symptoms to take urgent measures to reduce the risk of passing it on.
She said: “Norovirus cases are way above what we would usually see at this time of year and outbreaks in hospitals continue to rise. Just because you’ve had norovirus doesn’t mean you won’t get it again.
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“It’s really important that if you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you take steps to avoid passing the infection on. Please avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent passing on the infection in these settings.
“Do not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped and don’t prepare food for others in that time either. This is because you can still pass on the virus in the days after you stop being sick.”
Washing hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces can also reduce the risk of spreading infection, Ms Douglas said.
She added: “Norovirus infections can cause dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and older or immunocompromised people, so if you do get ill it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time.”
Professor Julian Redhead, national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, urged people to continue seeking help in the normal way despite the strain on services.
He added: “Hospitals are continuing to treat hundreds of patients who are ill with the highly infectious and unpleasant norovirus bug, with the rate of cases at the highest level recorded for this time of year since 2020.
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“The twin pressures of winter viruses and problems discharging patients means hospitals are close to full – even as more beds have been opened to manage the increased demand.”
The high bed occupancy means around 96% of adult hospital beds are taken up. One in seven is being used by a patient who is medically fit to be discharged, as problems with bed-blocking continue.
However, NHS England said analysis that will be presented at a board meeting on Thursday afternoon showed staff had delivered a 6.3% increase in acute activity this financial year – while spending adjusted for growth increased by just 3.9%.
It said this had been achieved by hospitals delivering more day surgeries and slashing £500m from the cost of agency staff.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “The broken NHS this government inherited has led to patients and staff facing unacceptable conditions in hospitals up and down the country this winter.
“It will take time to fix the NHS but with investment and proper reform, we can make our health service fit for the future and make sure that annual winter pressures do not automatically lead to an annual winter crisis.
“We’ve taken important steps to reduce pressures this year – including ensuring doctors are on the front line and not the picket line – and over the coming years, our Plan for Change will deliver the necessary reforms to improve urgent and emergency care services and reduce waiting times.”