NHS concerned that early ‘flood’ of infections will be made worse by family gatherings at Christmas

A rise in flu cases is causing big problems for NHS hospitals in England and leaving a growing number of people in intensive care, amid warnings that festive gatherings will make things worse.

The service is struggling to deal with a “flood” of flu cases that have arrived unusually early and left more than 2,500 patients needing hospital treatment, NHS England disclosed on Thursday.