AN OUTBREAK of Norovirus has forced medics to close hospital wards in Cornwall this morning.
People are being urged to avoid the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro after three wards were struck down with the nasty vomiting bug.
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Senior staff at the facility have issued a Black Alert, known as an “OPEL 4” which the NHS classifies as a “serious incident”.
Johanna Floyd, general manager for urgent emergency care at the hospital, tweeted: “Royal Cornwall Hospital Opel 4, three wards closed with Norovirus.
“Staff are working extremely hard.”
She added that “the hospital is under significant pressure this morning”, adding: “Take advice from your GP to manage any Norovirus symptoms at home.”
What are the symptoms of Norovirus?
You are likely to have caught Norovirus if you experience a sudden sick feeling, projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea.
Other symptoms can include a slight fever, headaches, painful cramps and aching limbs.
Luckily, the symptoms generally only last for about two to three days.
If you think you have contracted it contact NHS direct but stay at home, as you won’t be offered any treatment in hospital and you could put others at risk by being there.
The symptoms don’t last long, and you’ll normally feel healthy again after a few days.
However, you’re actually contagious for up to three days after you’ve recovered – and some people may even be contagious for two weeks.
Source: NHS
Norovirus is one of the most common stomach bugs in the UK and is also referred to as “the winter vomiting bug”, although it can affect people all year round.
It is very unpleasant but it usually clears itself up in a few days.
The virus spreads easily spreads around public places and is transmitted when a tiny particle of vomit or poo from an infected person gets into someone else’s mouth.
That sounds a bit gross and unlikely but it can happen – in particular when you touch a contaminated surface and then put your hand in your mouth – or if you eat food which has been contaminated.
You can also catch it if you are in close proximity to an infected person and they breathe on you.
Wash thoroughly
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical director of patient.info, told the Sun Online: “You don’t just catch it through people who are infected, you can also pick up the bugs from surfaces.
“It’s spread by the faecal oral route – so if you’re infected you pass out germs when you poo and then if you don’t wash properly then handle food or touch someone else it passes the germs on.
“It’s also quite difficult to get rid of the germs through normal cleaning, so you need to wash really thoroughly.”
In 2017 London was hit by serious sickness bug which has seen several competitors and officials fall ill with gastroenteritis.
In early January 2018 it was confirmed that hospitals across the North East had imposed visitor restrictions as a result of a Norovirus outbreak.
During the second week of January, it was announced that cases had risen by a third in just a week.
Earlier this year, Brits were warned of an outbreak in the West Midlands, East Midlands, Yorkshire and North East.
It’s thought to be worse in the winter as temperatures plummet but also as Christmas brings people into closer contact.
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