NHS warns rise in flu cases is hitting hospitals

Health officials have urged people to avoid putting extra pressure on the NHS as a spell of cold weather hits the South West.

NHS England said as of 29 December, there were 87 flu patients at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital along with 32 at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

It has led NHS bosses to advise people who become unwell with a winter virus to self-care and call 111 to stop "significant pressure" being put on the healthcare system.

It comes as freezing weather conditions have been forecast on Friday and Saturday, with Cornwall Council activating measures to provide emergency accommodation to rough sleepers.

NHS Devon said illnesses which included flu, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were "circulating widely" and the number of people attending emergency departments (ED) was on the rise.

It said norovirus was also circulating at a higher rate than normal.

Eligible people including the elderly, pregnant women and those with pre-existing health conditions are urged to come forward to be vaccinated against flu, Covid-19 and RSV.

Devon's chief medical officer Dr Peter Collins said people should only use A&E in emergencies.

"Staff in our Devon hospitals are working hard to treat people as quickly and safely as possible, but there are things local people can do to help ease pressures and ensure that people with the most urgent needs can be cared for quickly," he said.

Penny Smith, chief nursing officer for NHS Devon, added people who become unwell with winter-related viruses should consider self caring by keeping warm, eating and drinking well and taking medication at home, rather than attending A&E.

Ms Smith said: "We know that the whole health system in Devon and across England is under huge pressure.

"It means people will experience increased delays if they're attending A&E, so it's so important that you only attend A&E if you've got a life-threatening illness or injury."

The freezing weather conditions has prompted councils to send out gritting lorries on Thursday and Friday.

On Thursday, Cornwall Council said it had activated its "severe weather emergency protocol" to find accommodation for homeless people during the cold snap.

Truro-based homelessness charity St Petrocs said it had been operating its winter emergency accommodation service since 1 November, which it said was "much earlier than usual".

St Petrocs said since it activated the service, 47 people had used it.

Henry Meacock, chief executive of the charity, said: "In hindsight it was a good decision to start earlier because of the severe weather and storms in the autumn and now the cold."

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