The NHS has turned a corner into \u201ccalmer waters\u201d as the number of hospital admissions for flu falls, health officials have said. <\/p>\n
Hospitals \u201cremain extremely busy\u201d during the winter period, bosses warned, as the UK Health Security Agency issued a nationwide amber alert for dropping temperatures this week. <\/p>\n
There were 3,061 people in hospital due to the flu in the week ending December 21, down from 3,140 in the previous week. <\/p>\n
Despite the fall in cases, hospitals remain extremely busy with 95 per cent of beds filled, equating to 94,118 patients in hospital each day. <\/p>\n
Health officials have warned that the NHS is \u201cnot out of danger\u201d yet, as winter viruses are still circulating, and are urging the public to continue to come forward for vaccinations to help mitigate any further spread of Covid and flu. <\/p>\n
There were, on average, 707 patients in bed with Covid each day in the week before Christmas, in addition to 285 patients in hospital with norovirus. <\/p>\n
Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS England\u2019s national medical director, thanked staff for providing care under \u201cextraordinary pressure\u201d this winter. She added: \u201cWhile there are signs of improvement and the NHS is in calmer waters, pressures on hospitals remain incredibly high and we\u2019re not out of danger yet with temperatures set to drop in the coming days.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Should I be wearing a mask if I have the flu? What the science says<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAs the incredibly busy winter continues and hospitals clearly experience intense pressure, please do continue to use 999 and A&E only in life-threatening emergencies and use NHS 111 and 111 online for other conditions.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you haven\u2019t had your flu jab yet and are eligible, please come forward \u2014 it\u2019s not too late.\u201d<\/p>\n So far, almost 18.5 million people have been vaccinated against the flu<\/a> \u2014 half a million more than in the same week last year. <\/p>\n Ambulance handover times have also drastically improved, with emergency vehicles responding 17 minutes faster than this time last year, and six minutes faster than the week prior. <\/p>\n