Cases of winter flu are “rising rapidly” – with England’s health boss urging those eligible to get vaccinated.

Cases are highest among those aged five to 14, with 16.9% of tests positive for flu – up from 11.5% last week.

Sharing the data on X, England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said: “Influenza is now rising rapidly. Antiviral flu medicines can now be used in primary care.”

“If you are eligible please get vaccinated.”

The number of cases is in line with the 2022 to 2023 season, which peaked on 20 December, with 33% of tests positive for flu.

Last year, the peak was much smaller – with 16.7% of tests positive – and came more than a month later, on 27 January.

Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) indicates while influenza rates are increasing, they remain at “low activity levels”.

Figures show the positive return rate for flu tests was 7.9% on 27 November, the most recent date for which data is available.

Flu is one of the illnesses circulating in the UK that have been dubbed the “quad-demic”.

COVID-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and norovirus are all expected to peak at different times during the season.

Dr Alexander Allen, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “Flu is the cause of the rise in winter illnesses that we’ve seen in the past week, with emergency department attendances also increasing.

“Anyone still eligible for the flu, COVID-19 or RSV vaccines should get booked in ahead of the busy winter period, when we expect flu, and other respiratory viruses to spread between people more easily.

“Vaccination offers the best defence against these diseases, and now is the time to get protected before Christmas.”

THERE ARE HINTS THIS SEASON COULD BE A BAD ONE

Tom Clarke

Science and technology editor

@t0mclark3

Flu season is upon us once again. The big question, not just for anyone looking forward to a healthy Christmas break but for a creaking NHS which can be crippled by a severe flu season, is: how bad will it be?

The Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty took to social media to remind all those who are eligible to come forward for a flu jab. This is a sensible reminder in any given year – but there were some hints in the data he shared that this season might be a hard one.

Compared to last year flu cases have been rising faster earlier. In the last couple of weeks, the number of flu tests coming back positive has increased sharply. The speed of the rise is in line with the increase seen in the 2022-23 flu season.

No flu season is the same – the severity can vary due to the strains of flu circulating, the level of vaccination in the community, and the weather – but the 2022-23 season was, according to recent analysis, the worst in the UK in five years.

There are some other concerning signs – flu cases appear to be highest among school aged children– despite the fact vaccine uptake in this group is the highest it’s been.

For the time being at least, infection and hospitalisation rates in the most vulnerable groups – the very young and the elderly — remain low, although they are increasing.

The advice, as it is every season is for anyone who is eligible for a flu jab – children from 2 to 11, pregnant women, everyone over 65, vulnerable groups and health and social care workers – should get a flu jab if they haven’t already had one.

Australia has worst flu season on record

Australia has experienced its worst flu season on record.

Figures from Australia’s National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System showed 358,256 laboratory-confirmed cases of flu.

This beat 2019’s previous high of 313,615 cases and comes amid a declining rate in flu vaccinations.

How can you protect yourself?

You can catch the flu all year round, but it is especially common in winter.

The NHS says symptoms include: a sudden high temperature, an aching body, feeling exhausted, a dry cough, a sore throat, headache and difficulty sleeping.

“Vaccines work against the quad-demic,” Dr David Lloyd, a GP, previously told Sky News.

In fact, by getting vaccinated you halve your risk of catching any of the four illnesses, he said.

The NHS provides vaccinations against three of the four illnesses; flu, COVID-19 and, as of September this year, RSV.

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The flu vaccine is offered on the NHS every year in autumn and early winter. You can get it for free if you are over 65, have a long-term health condition, are pregnant, live in a care home, are a carer for someone, or live with someone with a weakened immune system.

Front line health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer.

Analysis of the latest NHS vaccination data showed 335 vaccinations were given per minute for COVID, flu and RSV on average from 30 September to 17 November.

This works out to around 3.4 million vaccinations a week.

MasterChef presenter John Torode has said he has found the recent reports about co-host Gregg Wallace “truly upsetting”.

In his first comments since the allegations surfaced, Torode said he would continue to be part of the programme, adding: “The thought of anyone who has appeared on our show not having a brilliant experience is awful to hear.”

Wallace is facing allegations of inappropriate behaviour from more than a dozen people across a range of shows over a 17-year period. His lawyers have said it’s “entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.

In a statement posted on Instagram, Torode said he had been away filming MasterChef overseas since last Friday, shortly after the allegations were made public.

“I love my job, and I love MasterChef,” he said. “I love being part of it and will continue to be part of it.

“During the last few days, I’ve been trying to make the best cookery programme, so being busy making the show and caring for our contestants has allowed me little time to think about anything else, but that has been hard.”

Torode said he “fully” supports the current investigation into Wallace’s alleged behaviour, but could not comment further while it is ongoing.

“I hope that you all understand and respect my silence on the matter moving forward,” he added.

On Tuesday, the BBC confirmed it was removing two MasterChef celebrity Christmas specials from the schedule. However, the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals is continuing as planned.

A spokesperson for the broadcaster said it took the decision as the series can be “life-changing” for the chefs taking part, but the “Christmas specials are obviously a different type of show”.

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Weather warnings have been issued across the UK for strong winds of up to 80mph and heavy rain over the next few days.

A Met Office yellow warning for gusty conditions – 65-75mph in places – begins from 4pm today in north and northwest Scotland until Thursday morning.

That is followed by a second warning for strong and gusty winds on Thursday and Friday with “disruption possible” on the roads and railways.

Get the five-day forecast where you are

It covers an area of the UK from Northern Ireland, extending across parts of Scotland, north Wales, northern England, the north Midlands and East Anglia.

Inland gusts could hit between 40-50mph but along exposed coasts through the North Channel and Irish Sea it might reach 60-70mph.

Forecasters also predict heavy showers at times, until the warning expires at 6am on Sunday.

The Met Office advises, those on the coast, to “stay safe during stormy weather by being aware of large waves”.

A third warning for strong winds and heavy rain also comes into force – for England and Wales – from Friday afternoon.

Forecasters are predicting these winds “may quite widely gust to around 40-50mph” but “perhaps locally nearer 80mph”.

This could cause difficult driving conditions, travel disruption and flooding in places, it has warned.

Around 15-25mm (0.6-1in) of rain may fall quite widely, but “exposed higher ground in the north and west – particularly parts of Wales – could see closer to 50-70mm (2-2.7in) and are at risk of flooding.

UK flooding risk returns

The Met Office said there is a slight chance of damage to buildings, homes and businesses being flooded, difficult driving conditions, road closures and power cuts.

Some snow on higher ground above about 200m (656ft) is also predicted.

Around the UK, shipping areas have been warned of intense winds.

Two areas – Faeroes and Bailey – are on alert for storm force 10 and the risk of violent storm force 11, which involves gusts of 69 knots (79mph).

That would be ranked as the second highest level, just below hurricane force.

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Concerns after Storms Bert and Conall

Several communities are still recovering from damaging flooding caused by Storm Bert between 22 – 25 November.

Winds of more than 80mph were recorded across the UK during the height of the storm.

The Met Office says the weekend of 23-24 November was “exceptionally wet” across South Wales and South West England, with more than 150mm (5.9in) falling in some upland areas.

On 23 November, the average amount of rainfall across the UK was 24mm (1in) making it the wettest day since October 2020.

Among dozens of flood warnings that were issued, a rare severe flood warning – meaning a danger to life – was put in place for the River Nene near Northampton.

Storm Bert was followed by Conall on 27 November which dropped up to 30mm (1.18in) of rain across southern coastal counties of the UK.

It did cause some flooding, but the Met Office says the disruption was more isolated than Bert.