The NHS has revealed how to tell the difference between a common cold and the flu in three simple steps, as hospital admissions for influenza surge. The latest figures show that the number of patients with flu in England’s hospitals quadrupled to over 5,000 before the New Year.
In the week ending December 29, there was an average of 4,469 flu patients in hospital each day, nearly 3.5 times higher than the same week last year, including 211 in critical care daily. On Christmas Day, the NHS reported 4,102 flu patients in hospital, a figure that rose sharply by almost a quarter to 5,074 by December 29.
On November 29, there were only 1,190, indicating that numbers have quadrupled. This comes at a time when hospitals are under strain from various viruses, with an average of 723 norovirus patients in hospital in the week ending December 22, and 528 patients each day last week.
Although this number has decreased, it is still 40 percent higher than the 378 during the same week last year. Additionally, there was an average of 74 children with RSV in hospital every day last week, a nearly 50 percent increase from the 50 during the same period in 2023.
On top of this, an average of 1,184 beds were occupied by Covid patients each day. Professor Julian Redhead, NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, explained: “These latest figures show the pressure from flu was nowhere near letting up before we headed into the New Year, skyrocketing to over 5,000 cases a day in hospital as of the end of last week and rising at a very concerning rate.”
He also highlighted the ongoing strain from other illnesses, stating: “On top of flu there is also continual pressure from Covid, while RSV and norovirus hospital cases are also higher than last year, with hospitals putting in place an extra 1,300 beds last week than the same time last year in expectation of this continued pressure from viruses and other demand.
“With what looks like an extreme cold snap expected right across England ahead of the weekend, we know the low temperatures can be dangerous for those who are vulnerable or have respiratory conditions so if you are at risk, do try and keep warm and make sure you are stocked up on any regular medication.”
He urged individuals to use NHS 111 and 111 online for health advice and support, reserving 999 calls and A&E visits for “life-threatening emergencies”.
Flu symptoms
Flu symptoms come on very quickly and can include:
- A dry cough
- A sudden high temperature
- An aching body
- A headache
- A sore throat
- Diarrhoea or tummy pain
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling sick and being sick
- Feeling tired or exhausted
- Difficulty sleeping
It can be hard to know if what you have is a cold or flu as they can share symptoms. However, the NHS said there are three ways to distinguish them:
-
Flu makes you feel exhausted and too unwell to carry on as normal while a cold makes you feel unwell, but you still feel well enough to do your normal activities
- Flu appears quickly within a few hours while a cold appears gradually
- Flu affects more than just your nose and throat while a cold affects mainly your nose and throat
If you have flu, the NHS recommends you:
- Keep warm
- Rest and sleep
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature and treat aches and pains
- Give paracetamol or ibuprofen to your child if they’re distressed or uncomfortable – check the packaging or leaflet to make sure the medicine is suitable for your child, or speak to a pharmacist or GP if you’re not sure
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear)
But you should ask for an urgent GP appointment if you or your child have symptoms of flu and:
- You have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy or HIV
- You’re worried about your baby’s or child’s symptoms
- You have a long-term medical condition – for example, diabetes or a condition that affects your heart, lungs, kidneys, brain or nerves
- You’re pregnant
- You’re 65 or over
- Your symptoms do not improve after seven days