In Grampian, 50 hospital beds are currently occupied by a flu patient – down from 56 last week.
Public health consultant, Mr Chris Littlejohn said: “In terms of the number of patients in hospital with flu, numbers have dropped very slightly in the last week, we can’t say for certain at the moment if we are past the peak or not, in previous years we have seen slight dips at this time of year before admissions begin to climb again, around and following Christmas.
“Despite the dip, the number of people in hospital with the virus remains the highest, in the last decade, for this time of year.”
Chris added that flu numbers usually peak “sometime between early January and mid-February” meaning there is potential for the number of people hospitalised, and ill in the community, to grow further in the coming days and weeks.
“Per head of population we have also seen an increase in confirmed cases and we’re now ahead of the Scottish average on that metric,” he said.
“One welcome piece of news has been the reduction in the number of patients in Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital with flu – down from a peak of 10 patients to two – although other winter respiratory viruses are continuing to cause additional pressures there.
“In Moray, at Dr Gray’s Hospital, the number of patients in hospital is increasing at the moment and we have 10 patients hospitalised there with the virus – around one-in-13 beds.”
Mr Littlejohn added that at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary one-in-24 beds is a flu patient – around the same as this time last year, when ARI eventually peaked at around one-in-ten beds in late December.
He said: “We’d like to thank people coming into our hospitals for wearing a mask while visiting, this along with people not coming to visit others in hospital when they are ill really has an impact on spread and keeping our patients safe.
“Flu is no joke, people lose their lives to it every year. Anyone eligible for a free 'flu vaccination on the NHS is encouraged to take up the offer.
“There is still time to get yourself or your child vaccinated. We have vaccine available in our centres for those who are eligible. Public Health Scotland has released data today show just how effective this year’s vaccine is. Children are 78% less likely to be hospitalised if they have had the jab.
“Vaccination clinics are now offering drop-ins, as well as appointments, so anyone eligible who hasn't had the jab yet will be made very welcome.”