Britons have been warned again to brace for a surge in norovirus as cases rise to their highest level since 2020 in January.
Rates from The emetic virus, which can also cause diarrhea, has increased by 80 percent compared to the same period last year, new figures show.
Last week, around 784 patients a day were in hospital with norovirus in England, up from 650 the week before – an increase of more than a fifth.
Officials warned that hospitals remain 'extremely busy' and urged Britons to continue washing their hands regularly to prevent transmission of the highly contagious virus.
The NHS also remains alarmingly close to capacity with 96 per cent of adult hospital beds occupied, worrying data revealed today shows.
92 percent is the point at which, experts say, staff performance declines.
Separate surveillance data monitoring England's flu outbreak suggests hospital admissions fell again the week before.
But they are still more than double last year.
Norovirus can resemble the symptoms of Covid, with both viruses causing chills, fever and headache
Figures show that in the past week alone, almost 4,000 beds were taken up every day by flu patients, including 176 in intensive care.
Professor Julian Redhead, NHS national clinical director for urgent and urgent care, said: 'NHS hospitals have been hit by a surge in norovirus cases over the past week – with the highest level in January since 2020.
'This, together with higher than normal numbers of flu and other winter viruses – and continued difficulties in delaying patient discharges – means hospitals are extremely busy with patients.
'Staff are working incredibly hard to see patients as quickly as possible, and it is welcome news that flu numbers have now peaked.
'Patients should continue to use 111 and 111 online if you need advice and support for health problems and in life-threatening emergencies, call 999 or go to A&E.'
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting added: 'Hospitals across the country are still under significant pressure and patients continue to face unacceptable levels of care this winter.
'It's welcome that flu rates are starting to decline and ambulance transmission is improving – but we're not out of the woods yet.
“If you are eligible, it is not too late to get your flu vaccination. Contact your local pharmacy or GP this winter to protect yourself.'
Norovirus cases are up 21 per cent on the previous week, according to the latest weekly hospital figures from the NHS.
Levels remain higher than at this point 12 months ago, when an average of 438 beds were filled by patients with diarrhea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms.
In 2023 the number was only 373.
The data also showed that an average of 3,833 patients were in hospital with flu last week.
This marks a drop of over a fifth (22 percent) from the previous week's 4,929, but is still higher than this point last winter (1,582) and in 2023 (2,034).
Nearly 1,100 beds were also occupied by patients with Covid.
RSV – which is most common in infants and young children – was up 91 percent from the same period in 2024.
In response to rising rates of norovirus, influenza, RSV and Covid – dubbed the “quad-demic” – some hospitals had begun limiting visiting hours and imposing mask mandates.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'Hospitals across the country are still under significant pressure and patients continue to face unacceptable levels of care this winter'
Officials warned that hospitals remain 'extremely busy' and urged Britons to continue washing their hands regularly to guard against transmission of the highly contagious norovirus
Norovirus is usually spread through close contact with someone who is infected, by touching surfaces or objects, or by eating food that someone who is infected has touched.
Health chiefs are already advising against relying solely on hand sanitisers to prevent contamination, as alcohol does not kill the disease.
Most infected suffer from nausea, diarrhea and vomiting and recover at home.
But norovirus could increase pressure on hospitals, as infected patients must be isolated in single rooms or wards closed to new patients to limit the spread.
The majority of people do not need to talk to a doctor about a norovirus infection. In most cases it goes away on its own.
Rest and drinking plenty of fluids are often recommended by health heads to help recovery. Paracetamol can also help with fever or aches and pains.
Many patients also ask doctors for antibiotics, but these do not work against viruses.
Separate NHS figures show that 96 per cent of general and acute adult beds in England were also occupied last week.
It comes as the country's top doctor, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, warned earlier this week that half of England's population will end up in A&E every year by 2034 if the NHS doesn't 'go fake' and shift more care from hospitals to hospitals. community
Nearly one in seven (13,710) were admitted by patients who were medically fit to be discharged – 125 more than the previous week.
This is also the highest number so far this winter.
It comes as the country's top doctor warned about that half earlier this week The population of England will end up in A&E every year by 2034 if the NHS does not go bankrupt and does not shift more care from hospitals to the community.
In a keynote speech on 'The current state of the NHS' at the Liverpool Medical Institution, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director of NHS England, said: 'My main focus today is on moving care into the community.
'Because we know that if A&E visits increase at the same rate as over the last decade, NHS staff will have to manage six million extra A&E visits every year from 2034.
'That would mean almost half the population visiting the emergency room at least once a year – that is simply not feasible for a 21st century healthcare system.
'Instead, millions of patients will need to get the care and support they need outside of hospital.'
Emergency departments in England had their busiest year on record in 2024, with 27.42 million visitors across the year – 7.1 per cent more than in 2023, according to NHS England.
Rough projections suggest that there could be 33,505,330 visitors in 2034.
Last week, a damning report into the state of the NHS also revealed that dead patients were left undiscovered in A&E for hours because staff were too overworked to notice.
The 'distressing' report, published by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), also revealed that a severe shortage of beds has led to the sick being left in 'animal' conditions in hospital car parks, cupboards and toilets.
It included the testimonies of more than 5,000 nurses, who exposed how patients are cruelly 'stripped of their dignity' and routinely suffer preventable deaths.
The 460-page dossier said it had become 'normalised' for patients to be left in chairs or trolleys in 'inappropriate environments' for days, rather than in a ward.
Demoralized nurses reported caring for as many as 40 patients in one corridor – some blocking emergency exits or parking next to vending machines.
