Warnings vulnerable remain 'at risk' of flu

NHS DATA REVEALS LEVELS HAVE STABILISED IN REGION

- By SAM VOLPE

FLU levels stabilised across the North East over the Christmas and New Year period even as nationally health bosses warned that the festivities may have led to a "bounceback' in illness.

In the region, over the week ending January 4, there was an average of just over 215 patients in hospital with flu across five regional NHS trusts.

According to NHS data covering the County Durham and Darlington, Gateshead Health, Northumbria Healthcare, Newcastle Hospitals and South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS trusts, cases appear to have peaked in mid December. That said, there have been more than 200 people in the region's hospitals with flu on most days since around December 10.

The latest figures could be subject to change but suggest there were just four patients in critical care with flu across the patch. This comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also reports that prevalence of viruses such as flu and RSVrespiratory syncytial virus have fallen in the first days of 2026.