Number of flu patients in hospital beds across England rises by more than 50%

The number of flu patients in hospital beds across England is more than 50% higher than the same period in 2024, according to NHS data.

An average of 1,717 patients were in beds in England each day last week, including 69 in critical care.

This is an increase of 56% for the same week in 2024, where the total was 1,098, with 39 in critical care.

The number is also higher than 2023, when there were an average of 243 flu patients, and 2022 with an average of 772.

Meanwhile, an average of 261 hospital beds in England were filled by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms last week - last year, there were 751 at this point.

The number of patients waiting at least 30 minutes to be handed over to A&E teams after arriving by ambulance at hospitals in England is slightly lower than last year at 30% compared to 36% in the equivalent week in 2024.

About 10% of ambulance handovers - corresponding to 9,580 patients - were delayed by more than an hour last week, compared to 16% the year before.

The figures have been published in the first of this year's NHS winter situation reports.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the latest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

(c) Sky News 2025: Number of flu patients in hospital beds across England rises by more than 50%