Flu cases in Somerset have rocketed, with hospital bed numbers quadrupling in just seven days, official NHS figures show.

By Thursday, 7 December, 38 general and acute beds were taken up by flu patients across Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. The trust runs hospitals in Shepton Mallet, Wells and Glastonbury.

At the start of the same week, fewer than 10 beds were in use. The spike mirrors national trends linked to the fast-spreading H3N2 "super flu" strain.

No flu patients in Somerset ICU

Separate NHS data confirms zero flu patients were in intensive care across the trust on that date. However, it does not confirm whether any ICU beds were free or fully occupied. Flu-specific ICU usage was simply zero.

Nationally, more than 2,600 hospital beds were occupied daily by flu patients in the last week of November — the highest seen at this point in the year. Several NHS trusts have declared critical incidents.

Somerset has not issued any such alert, but hospitals remain under pressure. Health officials are urging parents to get their children vaccinated ahead of the Christmas break.

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