England and Scotland see sharp rise in covid and flu cases as hospitals struggle

The Winter Coronavirus Infection Study in England and Scotland found that around 4.3% of people had Covid-19 in December, up from 1.8% in November. The highest rates were observed in those aged 18 to 44, with London being the worst affected. The study collected 30,000 self-reported lateral flow test results and questionnaire responses each week from around 150,000 participants. The World Health Organization identified a new Covid-19 variant, JN.1, and UKHSA reported that it accounted for around 7% of positive tests. Additionally, hospital admissions for flu and Covid-19 have increased significantly, putting pressure on the healthcare system and causing staff shortages.

Source link