The flu season is under way early in the UK – with infants at high risk, the UK Health Security Agency has warned.
The virus is spreading in all age groups while the vaccine campaign has made slow progress among families with young children, the agency said.
The agency reported on swab positivity – which indicates the proportion of respiratory infections found to be caused by flu.
This has reached 13.4% among young adults aged 15 to 44 and 10.4% amongst children aged five to 14.
The virus is causing serious illness amongst elderly people with quite large numbers needing hospital treatment, the agency reported.
This is in spite of vaccination rates amongst over-65s being at the same level as the last two years – at 64.3%.
Fewer than 22% of infants aged two and three have been vaccinated although they are a target group, the agency said.
Epidemiologist Dr Conall Watson said: “We’re now seeing flu spreading in all age groups over recent weeks. Children aged 2 to 3 may have little natural immunity to flu and can become severely ill.
“The recent flu season in Australia saw a high number of children hospitalised and there have already been intensive care admissions of young children in the UK. That is why we are urging parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible.
“It is also important that schoolchildren get vaccinated as it not only protects them but also reduces the spread of flu.”
NHS bosses have warned of a “twindemic” this winter – although the UKHSA said COVID rates reduced last week.
However respiratory syncytial virus rates may be increasing. Some 29% of under five year olds with respiratory disease were found to be infected with the virus in swab analysis. The UKHSA said this is in line with normal rates at this time of year.
NHS England said it had delivered more than 13 million flu vaccinations in the last two months.
Director of vaccinations Steve Russell said: “Today’s latest data from UKHSA shows that flu infection levels continue to rise, up again on last week, and so it remains vital that anyone who has been invited for an NHS flu jab comes forward and books as soon as possible.”
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