The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has announced that seasonal viruses this winter accounted for a bed occupancy exceeding the population of Malta.
From 25 November 2024 to 30 March 2025, nearly 600,000 beds were occupied by patients with Covid, flu, RSV or norovirus.
Hospital cases of Covid-19 surged to the highest level of the year, with 1,174 patients hospitalised last week, an 11.9% increase from the previous week and the highest from December.
This uptick occurred despite the NHS launching its spring vaccination campaign, urging 7.5 million at-risk individuals to get vaccinated, encompassing older adults, care home residents, and the immunosuppressed.
The data further highlighted the tight hospital capacity, with 94.1% of adult beds filled and an average of 90,475 patients hospitalised each day.
Additionally, over 1.6 million NHS bed days were lost the previous quarter to patients who were medically fit to leave.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Annual winter pressures, which will always exist, should not automatically lead to an annual winter crisis. We are already working to learn the lessons of this winter ahead to improve urgent and emergency care.
“Through the government’s Plan for Change, we will get the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.”
Despite high demand on emergency services, with 94,578 ambulance handovers last week, there was a 13% reduction in time lost to handover delays compared to the previous year.
NHS England national medical director Stephen Powis said: “While many of the initiatives rolled out this winter such as more virtual wards and same day emergency care services delivered improvements in getting patients the care they deserve – with fewer ambulance handover delays this winter – it’s clear we need to accelerate our progress.
“Despite the sunnier weather, Covid cases have jumped to the highest level this year, in a sign winter is not over yet for our staff.”
Last month, the NHS reinitiated using domestically sourced plasma for medicinal purposes, signifying development in the country’s healthcare services.
