The new strain of coronavirus is leaving entire families in hospital and the crisis will worsen due to households mixing at Christmas, a medic has warned.
As of 8am on Monday, there were 20,426 patients being treated for the virus in hospital compared to 18,974 during the pandemic's first peak on April 12.
But there are fears that the new mutated virus is more likely to affect young people.
A third of the UK were in lockdown so were unable to meet with friends and family for Christmas but experts claim cases could still soar because of the households that were allowed to do so.
Martin Llewelyn, professor of Infectious Diseases and NHS Consultant, pleaded for people not to mingle on New Year's Eve after revealing there was a "staggering" number of coronavirus patients admitted to hospital wards just days after Christmas.
The President of British Infection Association tweeted: "Back on the wards today. Staggering amount of Covid.
"Striking difference from last time - large family outbreaks with teenagers/young adults the focus. Multiple family members being admitted.
"Not looking forward to next two weeks. Please follow the rules this new years eve."
His tweet has been liked more than 10,000 times and tweeted by 5,000 people.
It also attracted responses from fellow medics who confirmed his claims.
One replied: "I've seen lots of family groups admitted. It's been completely heartbreaking at times."
Another posted: "Have had the same experience this long, long, long (!) weekend. It’s terrifying. Young people needing CPAP or a tube across the region. Unsustainable."
A woman tweeted back: "Yes it's horrendous, a relative of a relative has had 4 family members with CV19, 2 have sadly died, with in a day apart, husband and wife, other 2, one was poorly but thankfully managed to pull through and the other had no symptoms at all."
Dr Katie Sanderson described the current situation as 'really frightening'.
She Sky News: "People feel it's worse than the first time around.
"It's really frightening - because things are better organised and less chaotic it's clear the volume of patients is becoming unmanageable.
"The fear is that that's before we even are seeing people with infections contracted from Christmas. The next couple of weeks are going to be incredibly difficult and people are frightened they won't be able to look after people as well as they could."
The sombre warning comes as researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine revealed the mutated coronavirus strain is 56 per cent more infectious and may be 'particularly marked' in children.
The Government has come under mounting pressure from both unions and scientists to delay reopening school in order to slow the spread of the new mutation.
In addition to keeping secondary schools closed, Government scientists have told the Prime Minister to potentially order a stricter national lockdown than the one in November to prevent the crisis from spiralling further out of control, it is reported.
It is believed Boris Johnson will discuss plans to keep schools shut for an extra week in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Matt Hancock will also reveal whether restrictions in local areas are being ramped up or eased for the final time in 2020.
