Health chiefs today questioned the safety of festive gatherings amid an alarming upsurge in winter illnesses.
Rates of the vomiting bug norovirus — which can also cause diarrhoea — have hit a decade-high for this time of year, fresh figures show.
Separate flu figures also released today by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show cases and hospitalisations have continued to rise.
Experts fear the outbreak will continue to pick up pace in the coming weeks as a result of more people socialising indoors over Christmas and the New Year.
They urged people with symptoms to limit contact with vulnerable groups — such as the elderly, pregnant women and those with underlying conditions — over fears they could become seriously unwell.
It comes as health leaders have already warned the health service must brace itself for a ‘quad-demic’ driven the four winter illnesses — flu, Covid, norovirus and cold-like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Officials today cautioned that the spike ‘threatens to overwhelm an NHS and workforce already in crisis’.
According to figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the total number of norovirus reports this year (4,523) was also more than double that of five years ago (2,057).
There were 782 confirmed cases of the bug between November 25 and December 8.
It marks a rise of a fifth on the 649 reported in the previous fortnight and is almost double the that of five years ago (400).
Since the start of the 2024/2025 season, the number of norovirus outbreaks reported in hospital settings is also 24 per cent higher than the five-year average.
However, actual case numbers nationwide may be even higher.
This is because the figures are based on positive laboratory reports and NHS hospitals reporting suspected and confirmed norovirus outbreaks.
Most of those infected suffer nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting and recover at home.
But norovirus can pile pressures on hospitals because infected patients need to be isolated in single rooms or wards need to be closed to new patients to contain the spread.
Amy Douglas, a UKHSA epidemiologist, said: ‘Norovirus cases remain high, with the latest numbers remaining the highest reported at this time of year in a decade.
‘If you’ve caught the virus, take steps to avoid passing on the infection this festive season.
‘The very young, elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of suffering more serious illness from norovirus.
‘If you have diarrhoea and/or vomiting, avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent spreading the infection in these settings.
‘If you are unwell, do not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped and don’t prepare food for others in that time either.
The majority of people will not need to speak to a doctor about a norovirus infection.
In most cases, it will clear up on its own.
Rest and having lots of fluid are often recommended by health chiefs to help recover. Paracetamol may also aid a fever or aches and pains.
Rehydration drinks, such as Dioralyte, which replace crucial salts as well as water, can be bought from a pharmacist.
Parents are advised to avoid giving fizzy drinks or fruit juice to children with norovirus, as this can make the diarrhoea worse.
Many patients also ask doctors for antibiotics, but these are ineffective against viruses.
Patients with particularly severe projectile vomiting and diarrhoea can, however, get anti-sickness medicines from a GP.
It comes as separate UKHSA data today showed just over one in five tests (21.7 per cent) of Brits of all ages with coughs and colds carried out at the end of last week came back positive for the influenza virus.
Rates were highest among 5 to 14-year-olds at 39.8 per cent, up on the 30 per cent logged in the previous week.
NHS data released today also suggested flu hospital admissions in England have already surpassed last year’s peak and are running at their highest level so far this winter.
Figures show more than 2,600 beds alone have been taken up by flu patients, an increase of almost 40 per cent on last week (1,795).
Of these, 125 were in critical care — up 90 per cent on the previous seven days.
NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: ‘The NHS has been hit hard with an early festive flu season, putting increased pressure on staff as they prepare for the long winter ahead of us.
‘In response to the flood of flu cases so early in the season, the NHS has been making it as easy as possible for people to get protected with a jab, including vaccination centres in supermarket car parks and football clubs.
‘As children finish school and friends and families congregate over the Christmas period we expect viruses to continue to spread.
Patricia Marquis, executive director for the Royal College of Nursing in England, also said: ‘As people prepare for the festivities, nursing staff are battling to hold the service together and are deeply concerned about what the coming weeks will deliver.
‘Right across the NHS beds are full, A&E is facing increasing pressures, while the growing number of flu cases threatens to overwhelm an NHS and workforce already in crisis.’
