LONDON (Kashmir English): The number of citizens hospitalised with Covid-19 has increased by more than 40 per cent in just two weeks in Britain as seasonal respiratory viruses begin circulating ahead of winter.
According to the Daily Mail report, the National Health Service (NHS) is tending to around 400 more patients with the infection than it was a fortnight ago.
According to the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) surveillance report published on October 15, the Covid-19 hospital admission rate rose to 2.46 per 100,000 people in the week ending October 11, compared with 2.13 per 100,000 in the previous week.
Around 13.5 per cent of over-85s are testing positive for Covid, compared with 8.8 per cent across all age groups, the report said. Covid-19 activity remained at a low level overall, although trends varied across indicators.
The report further added that 41 coronavirus deaths were recorded in the most recent seven-day data period.
Experts said that people spending more time in closed spaces in winter and the drop in temperatures increase the ability of the virus to be transmitted, which causes the infection to spread rapidly.
The report also recorded an increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity, another cause of respiratory infections.
Health officials have warned that if precautions and vaccination rates are not paid attention to, emergency medical services and ICU capacity could be severely strained.
Health officials have urged Britons to get vaccinated against both flu and COVID-19, wear masks in crowded places, and follow instructions to wash their hands frequently.
