Latest data shows an average of 262 people a day were in hospital with flu, some in critical care, for the seven days to January 11. This was up from 252 the previous week.
Meanwhile, an average of 136 beds a day were closed to admissions because of norovirus or similar symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting, compared to 129 the week before.
While flu cases in the community are dropping slightly, the UK Health Security Agency warns norovirus continues to surge, with cases 47 per cent higher in the first two weeks of the year than at the same time in 2025.
Dr Trevor Smith, NHS England’s south west medical director, said: “Norovirus and similar stomach bugs can be a real threat to hospital patients, so please don’t go in to visit your loved ones when you’ve had diarrhoea or vomiting in the past 48 hours. You might end up giving them more than they’d bargained for.
“It’s simple things like this that can help keep our hospitals working well, at a time when large numbers of patients are coming through the door with serious illnesses and injuries.”