Norovirus hits the UK

A hospital has closed its doors to visitors in a bid to stem the growing number of people infected with the winter vomiting bug.

Birmingham City Hospital has told visitors to stay away after it was forced to close three wards due to the norovirus infection.

Other hospitals have also taken to Twitter to caution visitors and potential patients.

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust tweeted: "Please don't visit hospital until at least 2 days after last symptoms of #vomiting #diarrhoea 'norovirus Stay home, rest & take fluids."....Read more

independent.co.uk

The Azura docked in Southampton this morning and was leaving later for a 12-night Christmas cruise to the Canaries.

P&O Cruises said: "There has been an incidence of a mild gastrointestinal illness among the passengers on Azura.

"This illness is suspected to be norovirus, which is highly contagious and typically transmitted from person to person. Norovirus is common throughout the UK, Europe and North America and has affected a number of schools, hospitals, nursing homes and children's day care centres."

The ship had been on an 11-night Iberia cruise. There were 3,059 passengers on board, of whom ten are known to be suffering symptoms.

Another P&O liner, the Oriana, was dubbed "a plague ship" after it was struck by the virus. ....Read more

telegraph.co.uk

Norovirus, better known as the winter vomiting bug, is the most common stomach bug in the UK, affecting people of all ages.

The virus, which is highly contagious, causes vomiting and diarrhoea. As there is no specific cure, you have to let it run its course, but it should not last more than a couple of days. If you get norovirus, make sure you drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and practise good hygiene to help prevent it from spreading.

Read more about the symptoms of norovirus.

Norovirus can be unpleasant to experience, but it's not generally dangerous and most people make a full recovery within a couple of days, without having to see a doctor.

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that are the most common cause of stomach bugs (gastroenteritis) in the UK. They are also known as small round structured viruses (SRSV) or Norwalk-like viruses.

Between 600,000 and 1 million people in the UK catch norovirus every year. You may have heard of it as the “winter vomiting bug” because the illness is more common in winter. However, the virus can be caught at any time of the year.

What should I do?....Read more

nhs.uk