Winter news, advice and blogs

NHS England’s winter news, advice from Clinical Directors and blogs can be found here. It is important the public know what they need to do to keep well and advice on how to keep well and where to get expert advice will be given throughout the winter and can be found on the NHS website.

Beds lost to seasonal viruses this winter greater than population of Malta

The number of hospital beds taken up by seasonal viruses this winter was more than the equivalent of the population of Malta, according to new NHS data. Almost 600,000 beds were taken up by patients with COVID, flu, RSV or norovirus this winter (594,937 from 25 November 2024 – 30 March 2025), as NHS services […]

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Over a million norovirus web hits this winter amid quad-demic

Searches for NHS advice on norovirus topped one million this winter as NHS staff managed a quad-demic of viruses, according to new NHS data. There have been 1,021,436 visits to the norovirus advice in the past 16 weeks (2 December to 23 March) – making it the most visited condition on the NHS website this […]

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NHS still under strain despite fall in winter virus cases

The worst of the winter pressures are over for the NHS according to England’s top doctor, after norovirus cases in hospitals dropped for the 4th week in a row. In the week ending 16 March, there were 899 hospital patients with norovirus – down from the winter peak of 1,160 seen in mid-February. Cases remain […]

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Over 40,000 bed days lost to norovirus last month

Norovirus is continuing to pile pressure on NHS hospitals with over 40,000 bed days lost to the vomiting bug in February alone. The latest data shows there were 1,094 patients a day in hospital with norovirus last week, down slightly on the week before (1,134) but more than double the number of patients compared to […]

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Norovirus continues to grip NHS with cases up 150% on last year

Norovirus continues to grip the NHS with the number of beds taken up by patients with the virus nearly 150% higher than last year, new figures reveal today. The total remains close to its record high, with an average of 1,134 patients a day in hospital with norovirus last week – down slightly on the […]

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Record number of norovirus patients in hospital

Hospitals in England have been hit by a storm of norovirus infections as the number of beds taken up by patients with the virus reached a record high last week.   An average 1,160 patients a day were in hospital with norovirus last week -a 22% surge on the previous week (948) and more than […]

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NHS norovirus pressure hits winter high

The number of beds taken up by norovirus patients has hit its highest level so far this winter, with an average of 898 people a day in hospital with the virus last week. There was a 15% jump in patients with the diarrhoea and vomiting bug on the week before (784 week ending 19 Jan), […]

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‘Surge’ in norovirus cases keeps pressure on hospitals high

Norovirus levels in hospitals in England are 80% higher than the same period last year, new figures show today as pressure on NHS services remains high.  New data published today shows that 784 patients a day were in hospital with norovirus last week (week ending 19 January 2025), up from 650 the previous week. Levels […]

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Hospitals ‘jampacked’ following busiest week for NHS this winter

Last week was the busiest yet for the NHS this winter, amid sky-high virus rates which have left hospitals ‘jampacked’ with patients. New data published today shows that more hospital beds were occupied last week (w/e 12 Jan) than at any point so far this winter (97,636), with 96% of adult general and acute hospital […]

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