Flu figures in Suffolk hospitals have multiplied by almost 10 times year-on-year, but an expert has said the situation is not as bad as it looks.
On December 29, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) had 83 people in beds in its Ipswich and Colchester hospitals with flu, compared to 22 on the same day in 2023.
Meanwhile, at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds on December 22, there were 43 patients in beds with influenza – while on the same day in 2023, it was just four.
There were 83 patients in beds with flu at ESNEFT’s hospitals, including Ipswich Hospital, on December 29, 2024. Picture: Mark Westley
However, Dr Nick Tucker, a microbiologist at the University of Suffolk, said any comparisons must consider that 2023 was a relatively low season for flu compared to recent years.
“Any comparison between this year and last year is going to look pretty bad,” he said. “If you look back to the year we emerged from the pandemic, immunity had waned so it was unsurprisingly a substantial flu season.
“Usually with the flu season there is one big peak – where the centre of that is, we cannot predict that for this year.
Dr Nick Turner, a microbiologist at the University of Suffolk, said any comparison with flu figures from last year must consider that it was a relatively low flu season. Picture: University of Suffolk
“It may be peaking now or it may be another week or two; if it is another week or two, we could be on course to beat that high flu season of 2022/23. The numbers are not unprecedented yet on recent years.”
Dr Tucker said there were a number of reasons last year may have been a relatively low season, such as a good flu vaccine effort or a more effective vaccine in general.
ESNEFT has urged visitors to its wards, and patients and visitors in other clinical departments at its hospitals, to wear face masks to help stop the spread of illness.
Nick Hulme, chief executive of ESNEFT, said: “Our staff are working incredibly hard, as ever, to make sure our patients are safe and maintain all our services. It has, however, been a particularly challenging start to the New Year.
“We’re seeing a lot more patients with flu; we’d normally see numbers increasing in the second or third week of January, but we have seen it earlier this year.
“Please only use 999 or attend A&E in life-threatening emergencies. This will help our staff in A&E to look after the sickest patients who really need our care at the most important time in their life.”
There were 43 patients in beds with flu at West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, on December 22, 2024
Mr Hulme urged people, before going to A&E, to call NHS 111, or use its online service, for advice on the best way to access healthcare services.
In 2023, at West Suffolk Hospital, the peak number of flu patients in beds was on December 19, when there were seven. For ESNEFT, it was the aforementioned 22 on December 29.
This includes patients in both general and acute and critical care beds.
Dr Tucker said it was likely too late in the flu season for further vaccines to reduce the impact of the increased pressures in hospitals.
He said those experiencing flu-like symptoms should treat it with the regular household remedies, but also curtail their activities to help stop the spread.
“Please do stay at home if you can, work from home if it’s really needed, shop online. Do your best to not pass on the virus to others.
“There may be the temptation to continue daily life, but try to avoid that if possible.
“If you’re otherwise healthy and not in an at risk group you don’t need to go to hospital. Contact primary care providers if it’s really bad, and get support from friends and family.
“Do everything you can to support our NHS colleagues by doing all you can to stay healthy and keep others healthy.”
Dr Tucker said people could call 111 instead of going straight to hospital, and if a hospital trip is needed, try and arrange for someone to drive you there.
If people’s symptoms are serious such as experiencing chest pains or struggling to breathe, then of course try and get to hospital, he added.
Dr Tucker urged people to take advantage of vaccine schemes when they are offered in early autumn this year, as they are the best way to protect the community as a whole.