Experts warned of six symptoms to look out for amid a rise in cases of norovirus, widely known as the 'winter vomiting bug'.
Norovirus is a stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea, according to the NHS. The health service warned is "can spread very easily", including through close contact with an infected person, touching surfaces or objects with the virus on them before touching your mouth, and eating food prepared or handled by someone with norovirus.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is the government body monitoring outbreaks of the virus. It said outbreaks are rising as people "have begun to mix more" since pandemic restrictions were scrapped. Between March 7 and 20, reports of norovirus and rotavirus outbreaks exceeded (plus 2%) the "five-season average of the same period prior to the emergence of Covid-19".
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Outbreaks were high in educational settings, rising in care settings and "notably lower" than the pre-covid five-year average in hospitals, according to the latest weekly bulletin from the UKHSA. The agency previously warned there could be "unusual or out-of-season" increases of the 'winter vomiting bug' in the coming months.
According to the UKHSA and the NHS, six main symptoms of norovirus, that usually start within two days of infection, are:
- feeling sick (nausea)
being sick (vomiting)
- diarrhoea
- high temperature
- headache
- aching arms, legs or abdomen
Professor Saheer Gharbia of the UKHSA's gastrointestinal pathogens and food safety directorate, 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.
How to stop the spread of norovirus
The illness caused by norovirus usually goes away in roughly two days, but it "can be very unpleasant" while it lasts, the NHS website said. Professor Gharbia said: "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."
The UKHSA suggested other ways to help reduce its spread, including:
- stay at home until 48 hours after your norovirus symptoms have cleared
- use bleach-based household cleaner, or a mix of bleach and hot water, to disinfect potentially contaminated household surfaces and objects, particularly after an infected person vomits
- avoid cooking and preparing meals for others until 48 hours after symptoms stop
- wash contaminated clothing or bedding using detergent at 60°C, and wear disposable gloves while handling contaminated items, if possible
When to seek medical attention
The NHS said you should seek advice from 111 if:
- you're worried about a baby under 12 months
- your child stops breast or bottle feeding while they're ill
- a child under 5 years has signs of dehydration – such as fewer wet nappies
- you or your child (over 5 years) still have signs of dehydration after using oral rehydration sachets
- you or your child keep being sick and cannot keep fluid down
- you or your child have bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from the bottom
- you or your child have diarrhoea for more than 7 days or vomiting for more than 2 days
You should seek emergency medical attention via 999 or A&E if:
- vomit blood or have vomit that looks like ground coffee
- have green or yellow-green vomit
- might have swallowed something poisonous
- have a stiff neck and pain when looking at bright lights
- have a sudden, severe headache or stomach ache
