BRITS have been urged to stay at home as cases of a highly-contagious vomiting and diarrhoea bug sweeps through the country.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an urgent warning after a sharp rise in cases of norovirus.
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Health chiefs warned levels of the virus have remained high and haven’t started decreasing as is typically expected during the spring.
Norovirus – also known as the “winter vomiting bug” – is a highly infectious viral illness.
Confirmed cases are 75 per cent higher than the five-year average, according to the Express.
Reports suggest the increase in the detection of cases could be linked to the changes in how we study diseases following the pandemic.
Differences in testing and reporting to national surveillance and the cold weather are also considered possible factors.
What are the symptoms of norovirus?
According to the NHS website, you are likely to have caught norovirus if you experience a sudden sick feeling, projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea.
The main symptoms are:
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Diarrhoea
- Being sick (vomiting)
- A high temperature
- A headache
- Aching arms and legs
Amy Douglas, a Norovirus Epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: “Norovirus levels were higher in April than we would usually see at this time of year and have been increasing.
“This is likely due to a combination of factors, but the colder weather we have had won’t have helped.”
She added: “If you have got 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 causes “dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and older or immunocompromised people”.
Therefore it is important to drink plenty of fluids if you get ill.
When to call 111 and 999 for norovirus
NOROVIRUS usually goes away on its own after a couple of days and doesn’t require medical attention.
But you might need to speak to a doctor if:
- You’re worried about your baby who is younger than 12 months
- Your child stops breast or bottle feeding while they’re ill
- You think your child under five might be dehydrated – signs could include fewer wet nappies
- You’ve used rehydration sachets but still have signs of dehydration
- You or your child keep being sick and can’t keep fluids down
- You or your child have bloody diarrhoea or start bleeding from the bottom
- You or your child have diarrhoea for more than seven days or are vomiting for more than two days
And if you spot any of the following signs, it’s vital to seek urgent care:
- Vomit in your blood
- Vomit that looks like ground coffee
- Green vomit (adults) or yellow-green vomit (children)
- A stiff neck
- Pain when looking at bright lights
- A sudden, severe headache or stomach ache
Norovirus symptoms can include projectile vomiting and diarrhoea.
If you’re suffering from these “do not return to work” as the virus spreads easily.
It comes as the UKHSA announced that the spring 2024 COVID-19 vaccination is now live.
Those eligible should visit the NHS site or use the app to book appointments.
The eligible cohorts include:
- adults aged 75 years and over by June 30, 2024
- residents in care homes for older adults
- individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed
Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Public Health Programmes at UKHSA, said: “Once again, Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations have risen this week, so now is the time to get your Covid-19 spring vaccine if you’re eligible and haven’t already.”
Vaccinations will end on June 30.
All the dangerous pathogens that could be lurking in your tap water
THE whole of the UK is currently at risk from the nasty bug which has infiltrated the tap water in Devon, an expert has warned.
People in the area are experiencing grim symptoms after cryptosporidium, also called crypto, was found in the water supply.
The waterborne parasite can cause violent diarrhoea and vomiting for weeks and can be passed on from person-to-person.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is investigating 46 cases of bug infections in South Devon, and hundreds more are feared to be ill.
Locals have been urged to “not drink” tap water without boiling it.
Experts have warned that more outbreaks of the bug could crop up in other parts of the UK if infected people carry the virus away from Devon.
So, how safe is the water in your local area?
There is no available geographic data for cryptosporidium detections in UK water supplies, but there is data for other potentially dangerous pathogens.
As part of an annual investigation by the Government’s Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), investigators found that 34 E. coli and Enterococci breaches took place in England and Wales in 2022.
The agency sets safe limits for each substance – for E. coli and Enterococci, this limit was 0, which means no traces should be found in drinking water.
Both are types of bacteria that indicate water has been contaminated by faeces, which can make humans and animals very sick.
The data shows that twelve breaches were recorded in the Northwest area served by Severn Trent Water.
Next was Anglian Water in the East of England, which recorded six breaches, while Northumbrian, Essex and Suffolk Water had four.
The figures show at least 5,577 Brits drank water contaminated with faecal matter in 2022.
Professor Paul Hunter, from the University of East Anglia, and who has advised the World Health Organization on drinking water standards, told the MailOnline these pathogens are unlikely to make people sick but do point to contamination of water sources.
“They are generally not hazardous in themselves but are an indication that the water could have been contaminated by faecal matter,” he said.
“There are some types of E.coli that can cause potentially severe diarrhoea, but the most common type of this often wouldn’t show as a positive even if present.
“So the presence of an indicator E.coli or Enterococcus does not mean that disease-causing bacteria are present just that we cannot say they are absent.
“You could probably drink water with quite a few indicator bacteria in it without getting sick.”
He pointed out that in general the UK’s tap water is very safe – demonstrated by the fact only 27 tests came back positive out of the 150,000 or more carried out.