Hospitals, doctors and chemists have had their busiest ever week trying to combat the effect of the flu virus which continues to ravage communities across Wharfedale - and they fear that the bug is not yet at its worst.

On Monday, just seven beds were available at the start of the day in hospitals across the city and there were no spare intensive care beds in Leeds General Infirmary or St James's Hospital.

Across Yorkshire, official figures show that 171 people in every 100,000 have the virus and this would have to rise to 400 for it to be called an epidemic.

However, these figures relate only to GP visits and inquiries by the Wharfedale Observer show many more people have fallen victim to the bug than these figures suggest. Chemists in Wharfedale, Aireborough and Horsforth have been inundated with people seeking remedies to ease the symptoms.

Typical is the experience of Lloyd's Pharmacy in High Street, Yeadon.

"It's been unbelievable," said Sandra Long, senior sales assistant. "It seems to be true that someone in every family has had it, and people are saying that they are getting over it and then it is coming back."

Michelle Tamam, pharmacist at NCC Ltd in High Street, Yeadon, said over the counter trade had been hectic.

"It has been mega busy," she said. "It goes back to before Christmas and we are still getting a lot of people in."

The situation has been similar at Rawdon Pharmacy in New Road Side, where trade in cold and flu treatment has been a lot heavier than normal.

And at Broad Ing Pharmacy in Otley Road, Guiseley, two members of staff have been laid low by the bug. Pharmacist John Edmonds said: "We have been very busy since before Christmas and on New Year's Day it was extremely busy."

Mr Edmonds did not think that the situation was easing, a view shared by Peter Mitchell, of D L Mitchell, in New Road Side, Horsforth. Mr Mitchell said that most of the over-the-counter trade had been for younger people.

"The pensioner population will go to the doctor because they are more at risk and there is more ethos of going to the doctor. People in the 20 to 50 age group will buy remedies at the chemist's because they are not used to going to the doctor."

At Lloyd's Pharmacy in Kirkgate, Otley, dispenser Michael Booth said: "Before Christmas we didn't know whether people were anticipating being ill and were buying to be on the safe side because we were going to be shut.

"However, since then we have been very busy and there is no sign yet that it is abating." Charles Fox, pharmacist at Carr's Chemist Ltd of Bridge Street, Otley, said many people were going around for anti-flu jabs. "A lot of people are panicking and saying 'maybe I should have had one of those' but they are now difficult to get," said Mr Fox.

"There has been a big increase in prescriptions for antibiotics for chest infections over the previous week. In fact it has doubled."

Doctors fear that the worst is yet to come. Some estimates claim that up to 77 per cent of households may be struck down by coughs, cold and flu.

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