Key Summary
- Flu cases and hospital admissions are easing across the UK
- RSV and Covid remain mostly stable, but pressures haven’t disappeared
- Experts warn festive gatherings could trigger another surge
The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) latest surveillance report shows that there is a fall in the number of flu cases and hospital admissions.
The UKHSA data for December 15-21 stated that flu circulation has now dropped to medium levels, 17.2 per cent from last week’s 21.1 per cent.
Flu hospitalisation numbers have also gone down to 7.85 per 100,000 from 9.98 last week.
Similarly, the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections are also spreading at medium levels with a decreased number of emergency department attendances for acute bronchiolitis.
However, the weekly hospital admission rates for RSV have risen to 4.07 per 100,000 from the previous week’s 3.63.
The Covid-19 situation is reported stable with a 1.6 per cent decrease is cases and a 0.91 per 100,000 hospital admissions.
The Covid-19 ICU admissions have also remained low this week.
However, experts warn the large gatherings during the festival season could lead to spikes, and advised people to take precautions.
UKHSA consultant epidemiologist Dr Jamie Lopez-Bernal said the decline in flu cases was ‘encouraging news’ but sounded a note of caution.
“Flu is always unpredictable, is still circulating and could bounce back even further in the new year as we have seen in past years.”
