There were more than 3,700 patients a day in hospital with flu last week - up from 520 a day the month before, the latest data from NHS England shows.
Of these, 267 people needed specialised care in critical care beds last week.
NHS England warns pressures on the health service continue to grow as viruses like flu re-circulate after a hiatus during the pandemic.
Prof Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: "Sadly, these latest flu numbers show our fears of a 'twindemic' have been realised, with cases up seven-fold in just a month and the continued impact of Covid hitting staff hard, with related absences up almost 50% on the end of November."
He warned this was "no time to be complacent" with the risk of serious illness being "very real" and encouraged those eligible to take up their flu and Covid jabs as soon as possible.
Admissions among children under 5 have been high this flu season, as well as among older people.
Source: BBC News, 30 December 2022
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