CASES of a nasty bug causing violent bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting have surged by over 30 per cent in two weeks, health chiefs have warned.
They issued an urgent ‘stay at home warning’ to anyone with telltale symptoms of the highly contagious virus to avoid spreading it further.
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Reports of norovirus cases surged by 31.6 per cent between November 4 and 17 compared to the to weeks weeks prior, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned in a recent report.
“Norovirus activity is now increasing again across all age groups, with the biggest increase in adults, particularly adults aged 65 years and over,” it said.
According to the health watchdog, the rise in cases “has begun earlier than usual”.
The total number of cases reported where almost double the amount typically seen at this time of year, UKHSA added.
It said norovirus outbreaks in hospitals were also higher than normal, having seen a 19.4 per cent rise.
Amy Douglas, an epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “We continue to see high levels of norovirus circulating in our communities.
“If you’ve caught the virus, take steps to avoid passing the infection on.
“If you have diarrhoea or vomiting, do not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped and don’t prepare food for others in that time either.
“If you are unwell, avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent passing on the infection in these settings.”
The bug – which strikes sufferers suddenly with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea – tends to be spread through close contact with infected people.
Touching your mouth after touching surfaces that have the virus on them or eating food handled by someone with norovirus can also make you sick.
Aside from staying home if you think you have norovirus, practising good hand hygiene can protect you and others from getting ill.
Amy said: “Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will also help stop infections from spreading.”
But she warned that breaking out your hand sanitiser will won’t do much to curb the virus’s spread.
“Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus so don’t rely on these alone,” the epidemiologist noted.
Why are norovirus cases rising?
UKHSA said multiple factors could be behind the surge in norovirus cases, including the increased use of PCR multiplex technology for testing – which is capable of detecting multiple gastrointestinal pathogens in one test – as well as changes to the bug after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The health watchdog also noted “the emergence of an unusual norovirus genotype” dubbed GII.17.
So far into the 2024/2025 norovirus season, a whopping 89 per cent of samples belonged to norovirus genogroup 2 (GII).
Of these, 66.3 per cent of cases were attributed to the GII.17 genotype.
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“An increase of this variant has also been observed in other counties during 2024 and is being closely monitored,” UKHSA noted.
“At present there is no indication it leads to more severe illness.”
The health watchdog said there were probably more norovirus cases than data indicates.
“Lab reports represent just a small proportion of total norovirus cases,” UKHSA explained.
“It has been estimated that for every case of norovirus reported to national surveillance in the UK there are about 288 in the community that go unreported, representing an annual burden of around 3 million cases.”
How can I treat norovirus?
Norovirus symptoms tend to inclue nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
But sufferers can also be struck with a high temperature, stomach pain and aching limbs.
People can be at risk of dehydration after getting infected with norovirus, especially young children and older or immunocompromised people.
If you do get ill it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time, to replenish those lost through diarrhoea and vomiting.
Symptoms tend to strike suddenly but you will usually start to feel better within two or three days.
It’s important that you stay off school or work until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least two days, as this is when you’re most infectious.
What to do if you think you have norovirus – and when to call 999
If you think you have norovirus, stay hydrated, rest, and eat bland foods when you feel better.
Wash hands often, disinfect surfaces, and avoid contact with others until 48 hours after symptoms stop.
Seek medical advice if symptoms are severe or prolonged.
When it comes to treatment, focus on staying hydrated with water or electrolyte drinks.
Rest as much as possible. Eat bland foods like toast or crackers, rice, pasta.
For symptom relief, consult your doctor about over-the-counter options. Symptoms should go away in one to three days.
If you or your child experiences the following, you should call 999 or go to A&E:
- vomit blood or have vomit that looks like ground coffee
- have green vomit (adults)
- have yellow-green or green vomit (children)
- might have swallowed something poisonous
- have a stiff neck and pain when looking at bright lights
- have a sudden, severe headache or stomach ache
Source: Dr Bruno Silvester Lopes, Lecturer in Microbiology at Teesside University and NHS
