Flu activity rises in England as hospital admissions increase

Flu activity in England rose during the week ending October 4, with test positivity reaching 6.5% and hospital admissions at 1.97 per 100,000 people, according to UK Health Security Agency surveillance. Health officials said activity remained low but had been increasing since August, prompting warnings that the season could begin early and add pressure to hospitals. The surveillance report showed flu test positivity rose from 5.0% to 6.5% between the weeks covered. Levels recorded in September were higher than in the same period of each of the previous four years, although officials described overall flu activity as low or at baseline. The rise was reported as being driven primarily by young people or young adults. Professor Frankie Swords, NHS England’s national medical director, said flu admissions were the highest she could recall for this point in the year. She cautioned that the early rise was occurring after hospitals had experienced their busiest summer in emergency departments. September hospital occupancy averaged 95%, she said, and warned that pressure could build as winter approaches.