WITH Christmas just around the corner, it should be the most wonderful time of the year.
But an outbreak of the nasty winter vomiting bug norovirus is continuing to spread across the country leaving hundreds bedridden.
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More schools and hospitals have been forced to close in the last week as cases of the highly-infectious virus surge.
Health bosses have urged infected people to stay at home amid concerns it will continue to spread and have an impact on health services in the run up to Christmas.
The latest figures from Public Health England showed that in the first week of December, almost double the number of hospital beds were closed compared with the same time last year.
It also revealed that the number of norovirus laboratory reports for November 11 to 24 was 28 per cent higher than the average for the same period in the previous five years.
School shutdown
At least 11 schools in Leeds, West Yorks, have been closed due to outbreaks of the bug, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea.
Two schools in nearby Bradford, West Yorks, were also forced to shut their doors after an extremely high number of staff and pupils fell ill with the bug.
In Dudley, students at Beacon Hill Academy were sent home after reports of pupils vomiting on desks.
One student told the Birmingham Mail: “It was horrible. Kids in my class were being sick on the desk.
“The teachers told us we could go home so I ran out, I was gone.”
It was horrible. Kids in my class were being sick on the desk
pupil
Meanwhile, a number of hospitals have also been rocked by the winter bug.
Visitors have been told to avoid Basingstoke Hospital, especially those under the age of 12, while staff monitor the situation.
Stepping Hill Hospital, in Stockport, Greater Manchester, also confirmed it had been hit with people urged to stay away as services struggled to cope.
Five ways to limit 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.
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water. Alcohol hand gels don’t kill norovirus.
- Use a bleach-based household cleaner or a combination of bleach and hot water to disinfect 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.
- Wash any contaminated clothing or bedding using detergent and at 60°C, and if possible wear disposable gloves to handle contaminated items.
On Monday, the Royal Bolton Hospital was on ‘black alert’ – also known as OPEL 4 – due to soaring demand.
In the last month, a number of schools and hospitals up and down the country were forced to close – and experts warn it’s likely to continue.
Professor Stephen Powis, NHS medical director, said: “We’ve already seen a number of hospitals and schools affected by norovirus, and unfortunately instances like these are likely to rise over the coming weeks.
Unfortunately instances like these are likely to rise over the coming weeks
Stephen Powis
“It’s a really unpleasant illness to catch, but for the vast majority of people it will usually pass in a couple of days, and self-treating at home is the best way to help yourself and avoid putting others at risk.
“Crucially, if you’re experiencing norovirus symptoms it’s important that you don’t return to work or school for 48 hours after they clear – and avoid visiting elderly or ill friends and relatives – to avoid spreading it to other people.”
Norovirus is one of the most common stomach bugs in the UK.
It’s also called the winter vomiting bug because it’s more common in winter, although it can be caught at any time of the year.
How to look after yourself if you have norovirus
Most people will make a full recovery within one to two days, but it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time to prevent dehydration especially in the very young, elderly or those with weakened immunity.
Do:
- Stay at home and get plenty of rest
- Drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash – take small sips if you feel sick
- Carry on breast or bottle feeding your baby – if they’re being sick, try giving small feeds more often than usual
- Give babies on formula or solid foods small sips of water between feeds
- Eat when you feel able to – you don’t need to eat or avoid any specific foods
- Take paracetamol if you’re in discomfort – check the leaflet before giving it to your child
Don’t:
- Go back to work, or send your children back to school, until 48 hours after symptoms have cleared
- Have fruit juice or fizzy drinks – they can make diarrhoea worse
- Make baby formula weaker – use it at its usual strength
- Give children under 12 medicine to stop diarrhoea
- Give aspirin to children under 16
The main symptoms are typically suddenly feeling sick, projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea.
Health bosses are stressing the importance of hand-washing and practising good hygiene to stop it from spreading.
Nick Phin, National Infection Service Deputy Director at Public Health England, added: “Cases of norovirus are at higher levels than we would expect to see at this time of year, although this is not unprecedented.
“Practising good hygiene is one of the best ways to protect against norovirus.
“This includes thorough hand washing with soap and warm water after using the toilet and before eating or preparing food.
“We advise people not to visit GP surgeries and hospitals with symptoms.
“However, if they are concerned they should contact NHS 111 or talk to their GP by phone.”
Scientists at the Washington University School of Medicine recently estimated that the illness is responsible for 200,000 deaths every year worldwide.
Experts say this is because it is “notorious for spreading rapidly through densely populated spaces”.
