Norovirus infections are surging as the NHS has outlined the main ways you can catch it. People hospitalised due to severe norovirus are up 80% in England compared to the same period last year. NHS England’s data suggests the vomiting bug is surging in the wider population while flu, coughs and colds are also circulating at historically high levels.
Experts have warned anyone who experiences any tummy bug symptoms to stay away from work or school. Amy Douglas, epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Norovirus activity has remained high in recent weeks and has started to increase again, as we expected following the post-Christmas return to school and work.
“If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you can take steps to avoid passing the infection on. 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. Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will also help stop infections from spreading. Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus so don’t rely on these alone.”
Norovirus can spread very easily and washing hands frequently with soap and water is the best way to stop it spreading. Most people including children can be treated at home and it is important to rest and have lots of fluids to avoid dehydration. Patients will usually start to feel better in two to three days. In some very young and elderly people the condition can become serious and require hospitalisation.
The NHS website states the main ways of catching norovirus are:
- close contact with someone with norovirus
- touching surfaces or objects that have the virus on them, then touching your mouth
- eating food that's been prepared or handled by someone with norovirus
NHS England reiterated in a press release on Thursday that alcohol hand gels do not kill norovirus.
Speaking during a previous outbreak, one of the UK’s leading experts on infectious diseases revealed how norovirus is similar to Covid-19. Prof Paul Hunter, of the University of East Anglia, said: “In many ways the epidemiology of Norovirus is similar to that of Covid-19. It is a human pathogen that spreads from one person to another either directly or indirectly. Mostly it is spread by the faecal oral route or via droplets. It can also be foodborne.
“Norovirus predominantly causes acute vomiting which lasts for about 24 to 72 hours. A proportion of infections are asymptomatic. Also like Covid it has a relatively short period of immunity, and reinfections do occur. It also has a number of different variants, though generally in any given year one variant tends to dominate.”