Exceptionally high demand' on services forces hospitals to declare critical incidents amid rising cases of flu and respiratory illness - Anadolu Ajansı

The number of people with flu in hospital in England has risen sharply over Christmas, NHS chiefs warn. The latest data shows there were 5,000 patients in hospital with the virus at the end of last week - almost 3.

Hospitals in Hampshire, Liverpool and Plymouth have declared critical incidents following a surge in patients with respiratory issues

Patients not in an emergency are being asked to see their GP, pharmacy or visit their nearest walk-in centre - or to call the 111 service for advice.

Here’s a list of which hospitals we know have declared a critical incident so far: Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Royal Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Good Hope Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Several hospitals and NHS trusts across England have declared critical incidents due to sustained pressure on their emergency departments

Liverpool Royal Hospital has told people to visit their GPs or call 111 unless it is a medical emergency amid high numbers visiting its A&E department as they get overwhelmed with virus illnesses

Hospitals in Birmingham, Hampshire, Liverpool and Plymouth have declared critical incidents following a surge in patients with respiratory issues

An NHS Trust has declared a critical incident with A&E patients facing waits of up to 50 hours. The Royal Liverpool Hospital said there was "exceptionally high demand" on services in its emergency department and the number of patients being admitted to wards.