Prime Highlights:
Hospital admissions for Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, have surged by 80% compared to the same period last year, with 784 patients per day hospitalized as of last week, up from 650 the previous week.
The spike in Norovirus cases is adding to the existing pressure from high flu rates and delays in discharging patients, making hospitals exceptionally busy. NHS officials warn that this strain could worsen as winter viruses continue to impact healthcare services.
Although flu cases have peaked, the number of hospitalized flu patients remains nearly 2.5 times higher than last year. Hospitalizations for Covid and RSV have declined, but RSV-related pediatric cases are 91% higher than in 2024.
Key Background:
Norovirus cases in hospitals have surged to a five-year high this January, exacerbating the already significant pressure on healthcare services across the UK. According to the NHS, hospital admissions for the winter vomiting bug have increased by 80% compared to the same period last year, with 784 patients per day being treated for the virus in the past week, up from 650 the previous week.
This increase in norovirus cases is adding to the strain caused by other seasonal illnesses, including flu, which remains nearly 2.5 times higher than last year, with an average of 3,833 patients in hospitals daily. Meanwhile, Covid and RSV hospitalizations have decreased, but RSV-related pediatric cases remain 91% higher than in 2024.
Professor Julian Redhead, NHS National Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care, emphasized that the combination of high flu rates, ongoing norovirus outbreaks, and delays in patient discharges is contributing to overcrowded hospitals. “Hospitals remain extremely busy with patients,” he noted, highlighting that this is further compounded by limited bed availability.
Despite a decline in flu cases and some improvements in ambulance handover times, Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged the ongoing pressure, stating that the situation is far from resolved. He expressed concern about the significant strain on hospitals, which are still facing unacceptable care levels this winter.
Reports have emerged of hospitals resorting to “corridor care,” with patients being treated in unconventional spaces such as store rooms and even toilets due to a lack of available beds. The NHS faces its busiest year on record, with 96% of adult beds occupied. In response, England’s top doctor, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, warned that if healthcare services do not evolve to better handle these pressures, emergency departments may be overwhelmed in the next decade. The NHS continues to urge for more community-based healthcare solutions to reduce the burden on hospitals and prevent further deterioration of care standards.