The number of people in hospitals with flu in England has risen by 41% in a week and remains more than four times higher than last year, NHS figures show.
Last week in England, an average of 2,629 flu patients were in beds every day, 2,504 in general or acute (G&A) beds and 125 in intensive care.
This is an increase of 41% from a total of 1,861 patients the week before, when 1,795 were in G&A beds and 66 in intensive care.
It is also more than four times higher than at this stage in 2023, when the total stood at 648, and higher than the corresponding week in 2022, when the average was 2,088.
The figures have been published in the latest weekly snapshot of hospital performance in England this winter.