Winter bugs biting more in Britain

LONDON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Potent strains of winter bugs threaten to send thousands of Britons to their sickbeds during the holidays, says the Royal College of General Practitioners

Doctors said more than 300 people per 100,000 are coming down weekly with the common cold, on average, a 50 percent increase for December, The Times of London reported. Already about 40 cases of influenza per 100,000 people in England and Wales, the highest December level for eight years.

The increase coincides with the earlier-than-normal arrival of the flu virus, doctors said. And, to add more patient misery, the cold and flu outbreaks arrived at the time of the norovirus, also called the winter vomiting bug, put in an appearance.

About 15 million people catch a cold or flu during the winter season in Britain annually, the Times said. Medical facilities reported the number of cases seen in December usually aren't seen until January or February.

As more people become sick, the number of Internet searches about the illnesses have picked up as well, the Times said. Search-engine giant Google reported twice as many people in Britain were searching for "flu" so far in December than during previous holiday seasons.