Hospitals across Dorset have been taking in a higher number of patients through their emergency wards following a rise in flu cases.
The winter months saw a “quad-demic” of illnesses; flu, covid-19, RSV, and norovirus.
As the number of cases continue to rise, staff are under the same pressure they were when the Covid pandemic started back in 2019.
The University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Royal Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch hospitals, confirmed an average of 53 flu patients per day within the first week of January.
“Winter has been brutal so far for the NHS and we’re not out of the woods yet. Things are likely to get worse before they get better,” said interim chief executive of NHS Providers Saffron Cordery.
This follows a series of major hospitals declaring critical incident after A&E units were overwhelmed with patients.
NHS England data shows that there were over 5,000 patients with the flu in beds each day last week. At least 256 were in critical care.
In West Dorset, a spokesperson for Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester said: “Some patients are being admitted after becoming seriously unwell with flu.
“Other patients are admitted for other reasons but are flu-positive, which brings operational challenges as we need to take precautions to avoid the spread of flu within the hospital to protect our vulnerable patients.
“Hospitals are always particularly busy at this time of year and DCH is currently under significant pressure.
“As ever, we ask people to only visit the emergency department for serious and life-threatening illnesses and conditions.”
Fire engulfs derelict Dorset building