Number of flu patients in England’s hospitals up 56% on a year ago

Average of 1,717 patients in beds last week after ‘unusually early’ start to flu season, which has not yet peaked

The number of people with flu in hospitals across England is more than 50% higher compared with the same time last year, according to official statistics.

The figures, published by NHS England as part of its first weekly snapshot of the performance of hospitals this winter, found that an average of 1,717 flu patients were in beds each day last week, including 69 whose condition was critical.