The number of cases of norovirus has soared with increasing outbreaks in nurseries and care homes as people mix more after lockdown restrictions eased. Public health chiefs have today urged people to limit the spread of the so-called winter vomiting bug.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned that “unusual or out-of-season increases” could be seen in the coming months. It says people should stay at home and avoid visiting elderly relatives if they have symptoms.
Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, is highly infectious and easily transmitted through contact with infected individuals or contaminated surfaces. The UKHSA said the number of outbreaks increased during four weeks between the end of January and February, initially in educational settings and then in care homes.
Some 48 per cent more outbreaks than would usually be expected were reported in settings such as nurseries and childcare facilities. Care home outbreaks have risen from 24 reported in the week beginning February 7 to 40 in the following week.
Outbreaks in care homes are below the number expected in a pre-pandemic year, but the UKHSA said they are likely to rise in the coming weeks and a rise in care homes often precedes a rise in hospitals.
Professor Saheer Gharbia, from the gastrointestinal pathogens and food safety directorate, UKHSA, said: “Norovirus, commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, has been at lower levels than normal throughout the pandemic but as people have begun to mix more, the numbers of outbreaks have started to increase again.”
“Symptoms include sudden onset of nausea, projectile vomiting and diarrhoea but can also include a high temperature, abdominal pain and aching limbs. Stay at home if you are experiencing norovirus symptoms and do not return to work or send children to school or nursery until 48 hours after symptoms have cleared.
“Please avoid visiting elderly relatives if you are unwell – particularly if they are in a care home or hospital. As with Covid-19 and other infectious illnesses, hand washing is really important to help stop the spread of this bug, but remember, unlike for Covid-19 alcohol, gels do not kill off norovirus so soap and water is best.”
How to reduce the spread of norovirus
- Stay at home if you are experiencing norovirus symptoms. Do not return to work or send children to school until 48 hours after symptoms have cleared. Also avoid visiting elderly or poorly relatives, particularly if they are in hospital or a care home.
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water. Alcohol hand gels don’t kill norovirus.
- When an infected person vomits, the droplets contaminate the surrounding surfaces. A bleach-based household cleaner or a combination of bleach and hot water should be used to disinfect potentially contaminated household surfaces and commonly used objects such as toilets, taps, telephones, door handles and kitchen surfaces.
- If you are ill, avoid cooking and helping prepare meals for others until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped, as norovirus can be spread through food contaminated by the virus when food is handled by symptomatic people or infected individuals.
- Wash any contaminated clothing or bedding using detergent and at 60°C and, if possible, wear disposable gloves to handle contaminated items
UKHSA’s National Norovirus Surveillance Team will continue to closely monitor all available surveillance data to ensure early detection of any unusual norovirus activity and outbreaks.
