Flu cases falling ahead of Christmas, experts say
The number of circulating flu cases has started to fall in England, the latest data suggests.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it was encouraging news ahead of Christmas, but warned the virus could still rebound in the new year.
The UKHSA uses a range of different measures to monitor flu rates, including testing samples in hospitals and GP practices.
The latest data covers last week through Sunday, with the UKHSA concluding that the virus was circulating “at medium levels”.
Similar trends are being seen elsewhere in the UK. Public Health Scotland said it had seen cases decline for two weeks.
The decline in England comes after the agency said last week that the gap was stabilizing after several weeks of rising.
This year’s flu season started early, due to a mutated strain of the virus, sparking concerns about the strain that could be put on hospitals.
Data from NHS England on the total number of people in hospital is not published this week.
But testing of UKHSA samples shows signs that hospitalization numbers are starting to fall, suggesting projections of record numbers of patients ending up in hospital with the virus over the festive period will not come true.
Dr Jamie Lopez-Bernal, an infectious diseases expert at UKHSA, said it was “encouraging news”.
But he added: “The virus is still very much with us and everyone, especially those most vulnerable to winter insects, must take care to protect themselves or help not pass these viruses on to others.
“This is especially important at Christmas, when families come together to celebrate. So if you have cold or flu symptoms, you should try to minimize contact with others.”
He said there are simple steps we can all take to protect each other when mixing indoors.
“Washing your hands regularly and ensuring indoor spaces are well ventilated is helpful, and we advise those who have symptoms and need to go out to consider wearing a face covering in indoor public spaces.” These simple steps can help make a difference in reducing the spread.
“The flu is always unpredictable, it is always circulating and could reappear even more in the new year, as we have seen in previous years,” he warned.
