UK hospitals face pressure as flu cases rise - Reports
Eight major UK hospitals have declared a critical situation over the past day due to an unusually high demand, reportedly caused by pressure from seasonal flu.
MOSCOW - UK hospitals are struggling to cope with an influx of patients with flu and other infectious diseases, with some patients forced to wait in line for up to 50 hours, The Times reported, citing National Health Service officials, according to Sputnik/RIA Novosti.
Eight major UK hospitals have declared a critical situation over the past day due to an unusually high demand, reportedly caused by pressure from seasonal flu.
"Frontline NHS staff are under significant pressure, and the demand is showing no signs of letting up, with the latest data showing flu cases skyrocketed to around 5,000 a day in hospitals at the end of last year and multiple trusts across the country declaring incidents to help them to manage additional strain on services," Stephen Powis, the NHS national medical director for England, told the newspaper.
In addition, the Royal Liverpool University Hospital announced that patients will have to wait up to 50 hours to be admitted to emergency care, while Hampshire and Plymouth hospitals have declared critical incidents due to high demand for intensive care. - BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI
