Latest NHS figures reveal a concerning rise in vomiting bug hospital admissions, with an average of 626 beds occupied daily in England last week by patients suffering from vomiting, diarrhoea or norovirus-like symptoms.
This marks a significant increase from the 528 recorded the week before and surpasses figures from the same time last winter (424) and the year before (435).
NHS bosses have warned the ‘quad-demic’ of flu, COVID-19, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is continuing to put immense pressure on services.
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Norovirus, also called the “winter vomiting bug”, is a highly contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhoea.
“The virus is spread person to person, though the air or on surfaces such as door handles or in foods, especially raw shellfish and leafy green salads,” explains Prof Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine at the University of East Anglia.
“It is a very infectious virus and you can get infected by consuming only a very small number of infectious particles.”
Norovirus cases in England are on the rise -Credit:PA
Symptoms of norovirus
The symptoms of norovirus typiucally start suddenly within 1 to 2 days of being infected. According to the NHS, the main symptoms of norovirus are:
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Feeling sick (nausea)
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Diarrhoea
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Being sick (vomiting)
A stomach bug can also cause you have:
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A high temperature
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A headache
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Aching arms and legs
Why do norovirus cases rise over winter?
Anyone can contract norovirus at any time of the year, but cases tend to rise in winter because people are spending more time indoors. This is the same for cases of all common seasonal respiratory viruses, such as the flu, which peak in the winter.
Experts aren’t yet sure why norovirus cases are higher this winter than in previous years. As the latest UKHSA report explains, “It is likely that multiple factors contributed to the observed increase in laboratory reports, such as ongoing changes to the epidemiology following the COVID-19 pandemic or changes in testing and reporting to national surveillance.”
Prof Hunter, who was part of a big research study a few years ago which found that only about 1 in 300 infections are reported, suggests that cases might be up before detection is better.
“I suspect some of the reason is down to new diagnostic methods in laboratories meaning we are testing more samples for the virus than we did in the past,” Prof Hunter explains.
What’s the best way to kill norovirus?
To limit the spread of norovirus, it’s best to neutralise or ‘kill’ any virus on your hands or surfaces.
The best way to get rid of the virus is to wash your hands with soap and water, according to Dr Robert Hopkins Jr, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
Using bleach-based cleaners to kill the virus on hard surfaces, such as kitchen counters, is also a good way to prevent norovirus, Dr Hopkins told Live Science.
Importantly, one common cleaner is not effective against norovirus. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers won’t kill norovirus due to the structure of the virus iteself, according to Prof Hunter.
“Alcohol-based sanitisers work by dissolving the lipid envelope that surrounds many viruses. It is this envelope that enables the virus to infect the cell. Norovirus does not have an envelope and so alcohol doesn’t work,” he explains.
However, as Prof Hunter warns, “It is very difficult to stop the spread of Norovirus in communities. During outbreaks we have to use ‘cohort nursing’ where we close the ward or care home to new admissions until the outbreak burns itself out.”
Is there a vaccine for norovirus?
There is currently no vaccine available for norovirus, unlike other common seasonal viruses like the flu, RSV and COVID-19.
In October last year, a phase 3 randomised controlled trial of a new norovirus vaccine candidate was launched in the UK to study whether the vaccine works.
The vaccine candidate is an mRNA vaccine, produced by Moderna, and the trial is being run as a collaboration between the NIHR, Moderna and DHSC.
Dr Patrick Moore, co-director of Wessex Research Hubs and Chief Investigator of the trial in the UK, said: “The UK is really pleased to be able to play an important role in helping find an effective vaccine against this highly contagious disease.
“Outbreaks of norovirus have huge consequences, both on our health systems and our economy. This innovative trial is crucial in helping us advance healthcare.”