Hospitals in England are preparing for the Christmas peak; NHS England reported an average of 3140 daily hospitalizations[1] due to flu in the week ending December 12, marking an increase of 18% compared to the previous week. At the same time, the number of norovirus infections in facilities rose to 427 patients daily[3]. National epidemiological surveillance recorded hospital admission rates around 10.3 per 100,000 people[5], surpassing last year’s levels and increasing pressure on emergency departments.
Pressure on Hospitals
Concurrent factors are intensifying the situation. The convergence of a sharp rise in cases with hospital doctors’ protests and increasing patient flow forces the activation of additional intervention beds[7] and tighter visitor policies. Experts identify the dominant A(H3N2) virus strain as the main driver of the wave; some call it “superflu”, although infectious disease specialists remind that standard vaccines and antiviral drugs still protect[26] against severe disease.
Situation in Ireland and Canada
In Ireland, the healthcare authority Health Service Executive forecasts hospitalization numbers peaking during the Christmas week[11], with models projecting daily hospitalizations of 800 to 1100 flu patients[12]. By December 16, there were already 634 flu patients in hospitals; the season saw 62 ICU admissions and 17 flu-related deaths. University Hospital Cork and other hospitals report a steady influx of patients with high fever, severe cough, and breathlessness, leading to restricted visits to safeguard the most vulnerable patients and staff.
Recommendations and Patient Protection
In Canada, flu test positivity rates reached the highest levels in at least three seasons; the national positive test rate in the week ending December 13 was 27.7%[13], while Public Health Ontario reports positivity rates around 33.8%[14], reaching over 70% in certain children’s age groups. In the Ottawa region, Ottawa Public Health confirmed that in early December three children aged 5–9 died[15] from flu complications, prompting renewed calls for vaccination before holiday gatherings. CHEO recorded more than 300 positive tests in the first 10 days of December[18] compared to just 11 last year.
In the United States, federal epidemiological surveillance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated rising flu activity in early December; cumulative hospitalization rates reached 6.9 per 100,000[20], and by mid-month, over 3800 confirmed flu hospitalizations were reported[21]. Clinicians in Massachusetts and Minnesota report a large share of children among patients; Children’s Minnesota reinstated mask mandates due to increased H3N2 cases. Doctors from Boston to Toronto and Cork urge: get vaccinated, stay home if sick, and seek urgent care only for clear danger signs such as difficulty breathing, dehydration, or confusion.