People are being warned to think twice after a large jump in the number of norovirus cases in the East Midlands. Health officials are now calling on people to be careful and possibly think again if they plan to visit people in hospitals or care homes.
Latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that the first couple of weeks of February saw the number of cases jump about 20.5 per cent compared to the weeks before. The total number of cases is 145 per cent higher that it was in February 2024.
Dr Jharna Kumbang, consultant in communicable disease control at UKHSA East Midlands, said: “Norovirus cases are still exceptionally high and continue to rise. Half term usually provides a bit of a firebreak, so hopefully we will see a fall in numbers in the next few weeks.
READ MORE: The part of Leicestershire with the highest rate of deaths from alcohol is revealed
"However, it’s really important that if you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you take steps to avoid passing the infection on. Please avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent passing on the infection in these settings.
“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. This is because you can still pass on the virus in the days after you stop being sick. 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 symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- High temperature
- Abdominal pain
- Aching limbs
Norovirus infections can cause dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and older or immunocompromised people. Anyone who does get ill is urged to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. For more information on the disease visit the NHS website and search for "norovirus".
