Latest news with #Norovirus
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Urgent NHS alert as virus is spreading 'easily' and 'more than usual'
The public has been urged to take steps to prevent the spread of the sickness, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea. People across the UK are being warned about a rise in a particularly nasty sickness bug, which is being reported more frequently than usual for this time of year. This illness can render people housebound for days and can be easily spread if you're not aware of how to stop it. Norovirus can affect anyone, regardless of age; you might become susceptible to this illness. It's a very contagious virus that transmits through interaction with infected individuals and contaminated surfaces. Speaking on X, an NHS spokesperson said: "Norovirus cases are currently higher than we normally see at this time of year. The virus can spread very easily." They continued: "Washing your hands frequently with soap and water is the best way to stop it spreading. If you catch norovirus, stay at home and rest." Also known as the 'vomiting bug,' this unwelcome illness causes nausea and diarrhoea. Toughing it out can be unpleasant, but the NHS assures that most people will be better after two days. Norovirus is often referred to as the "stomach flu" or the "stomach bug." However, norovirus illness is not connected to the flu. The flu is caused by the influenza virus, while norovirus leads to acute gastroenteritis, which is an inflammation of the stomach or intestines. You can experience norovirus illness multiple times throughout your life. This is due to the existence of various types of noroviruses. Being infected with one type of norovirus does not guarantee protection against others. While it is possible to build immunity to certain types, the exact duration of this protection is unclear. This uncertainty might clarify why individuals of all ages frequently contract infections during norovirus outbreaks. The NHS says: "Norovirus spreads very easily and quickly in different ways." It also says: "You can still spread norovirus for 2 weeks or more after you feel better." How to tell if you have norovirus: Typically, symptoms start between 12 to 48 hours from exposure. According to NHS guidance, people should look out for a sudden symptom such as: feeling sick being sick (vomiting) diarrhoea These main signs may come with a fever, headaches or body aches, with your stomach often bearing the brunt of it. Despite being called the winter vomiting bug, it can strike in any season. This name comes from the higher level of cases that come during the winter months. Norovirus is very contagious, but you can take steps to protect yourself and others, including: Wash your hands well and often. Cook shellfish thoroughly and wash fruits and vegetables. Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces. Wash laundry in hot water. Stay home when sick for 2 days (48 hours) after symptoms stop. Norovirus is often manageable at home, typically requiring treatment for the diarrhoea and vomiting symptoms. The NHS stressed that the "most important thing" is to drink "lots of fluids to avoid dehydration". People are usually warned to avoid fruit juices and fizzy drinks since they "can make diarrhoea worse." Norovirus is highly contagious, and close contact poses a risk of infection. It's possible to continue spreading the virus for two weeks or more after symptoms go away, so it is very important to continue some of the precautions, such as thorough handwashing with soap and water and minimising contact with others, to help curb the transmission of norovirus. It's advised to stay away from school, nursery, or work until you've been free from vomiting and diarrhoea for at least two days. You should also avoid visiting hospitals or other vulnerable populations during this time.
Irish Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
'If you've got these 3 symptoms, stay home' warns HSE amid baffling bug surge
Health officials are urging people to stay at home if they have three key symptoms, as Ireland is seeing an unusual off-season surge of a highly contagious bug. Confirmed cases of Norovirus, commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, have nearly doubled in a week and it's spreading rapidly through the community - despite it being nearly June. Norovirus usually surges in winter months, but health experts have warned that it is "currently circulating at high levels in the community", and could continue to do so for "the next number of weeks". In the latest figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), 62 cases were reported in the last week - a jump of 28 cases (82.4%) from 34 cases the previous week. The majority of cases (44) were among those aged 65 and older. The rest were spread across age groups with four cases each in the 45-64 and 25-44 brackets, one case in 19-24 year olds, and nine cases among children aged 0-4. No cases were reported in the 5-18 age group. The illness, which causes a sudden vomiting and diarrhoea, is extremely infectious and can be caught through close contact, contaminated surfaces and airborne droplets. Symptoms usually appear one to two days after exposure and last for two to three days. There's no cure or treatment for norovirus, and as it's a virus, antibiotics don't help. Most people recover at home with rest and plenty of fluids. In an update issued this week, the HPSC said: "Norovirus, in most people, is an unpleasant but mild illness that passes off quickly without any treatment. It can usually be managed at home - drinking plenty of fluids is usually all that is needed." The health officials advised anyone with symptoms to stay off work, school or social activities for at least 48 hours after symptoms have passed. According to the HSE, you're likely to have norovirus if you: Some people also have: While the virus typically only lasts a few days, it spreads rapidly and can be especially dangerous in settings like hospitals, nursing homes and schools. In a key public message this week, the HPSC urged people to follow these steps to help prevent further spread: The HSE also reminded the public that norovirus can infect you more than once because it constantly mutates, meaning your body cannot build lasting immunity.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
UKHSA says 'stay home' if you have any of these symptoms
The virus 'is able to spread easily' The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an alert as cases of a nasty bug are spreading at "higher levels than usual this spring". People are being urged to stay off work or school and to avoid care homes and hospitals for 48 hours after symptoms clear - in a bid to stop the spread. UKHSA said on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday: "Vomiting or diarrhoea in spring? It could still be #Norovirus. Despite being known as the "winter vomiting bug", norovirus can spread all year round, and we're seeing higher than usual levels this spring. Find out what to do to stop the spread." Information provided in an accompanying link further explains that norovirus "is able to spread easily through communities and so outbreaks are common in settings where individuals have close contact such as hospitals, care homes, schools and nurseries." Most people's symptoms start between 12 and 48 hours after they caught the virus, and people are most infectious while symptomatic. However it is possible to "shed" the virus, by contaminating surfaces, objects or even food, both before and after experiencing symptoms. It is therefore important to wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with warm water and soap, and to avoid preparing food for others. UKHSA also reminds people that alcohol-based hand sanitisers are not effective against norovirus. Common symptoms include sickness, diarrhoea, and/or vomiting, and some sufferers may also experience headaches, fever, and ache in their arms or legs. Any contaminated clothing or bedding should be washed at 60C.
Medscape
28-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Are Europe's Open Waters Safe for Swimming?
Laura Reineke is an avid open water swimmer. Her passion has taken her from crossing the English Channel to circumnavigating Manhattan Island. But the hobby has also made her feel poorly on several occasions. 'They're always severe. They always take you by surprise. Joint pain, full body aches, diarrhea, vomiting,' recalled Reineke, who has founded Henley Mermaids, a grassroots campaign against sewage pollution, and Friends of the Thames, a charity organization that aims to protect the English river. Laura Reineke As temperatures warm across Europe, many more open water swimming enthusiasts are venturing into rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and seas. While offering significant physical and mental health benefits, the burgeoning pastime increasingly exposed people to waterborne contaminants. But the risks are difficult to quantify. Therese Westrell, PhD, principal expert for Food and Waterborne Diseases at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), told Medscape Medical News , 'We don't really know how big of a problem there is across Europe. There are risks that we know of when there is high contamination.' The Microbial Menace Europe's bathing waters are routinely monitored for Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci, which serve as bacterial indicators of fecal contamination, as mandated under the European Union (EU) Bathing Water Directive. The latest figures for the 2023 season show that 85.4% of bathing waters in the EU were classified as 'excellent,' indicating high overall quality. However, a persistent 1.5% of sites, amounting to 321 locations, were still classified as 'poor.' A significant disparity in water quality exists between inland and coastal areas. Inland bathing waters, including rivers and lakes, generally exhibit poorer quality, with 2.4% of inland sites categorized as 'poor' in 2023 compared with 1% of coastal sites. The European Environment Agency wrote to Medscape Medical News in an email that these inland waters 'are more susceptible than coastal areas to short-term pollution caused by heavy rains or droughts.' The primary sources of microbial contamination are human activities and animal waste. Inadequate urban wastewater treatment, agricultural runoff carrying livestock waste, and even direct contamination from waterfowl like mallards can elevate bacterial levels in water. In some big, older cities, such as London and Paris, combined sewer overflows are used as safety release valves to prevent urban flooding during heavy rainfall. However, their frequent activation leads to the direct discharge of enormous volumes of untreated sewage into waterways. In England alone, more than 400,000 such discharges occurred in 2020. Common illnesses associated with microbial contamination include gastrointestinal infections caused by pathogens like Norovirus, E. coli , Giardia , and Cryptosporidium , which give symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Other manifestations include respiratory, dermatologic, ear, nose, and throat infections. A more severe, albeit rarer, bacterial infection is leptospirosis (Weil's disease), which can cause significant liver and kidney deterioration. Quantifying the exact extent of these problems across Europe remains challenging due to the complexities of attributing specific transmission modes to surveillance data. 'The information we have on which cases come from swimming and which are from food is not really there,' Westrell said. Therese Westrell, PhD However, specific microbes are closely monitored. Vibrio species, for instance, are naturally occurring bacteria in coastal waters that thrive in elevated temperatures and brackish water. Ingestion can cause mild gastrointestinal symptoms, but wound infections are more concerning. 'If you get it through a wound, you can get a very severe infection. You can also get the blood infection, which could be fatal,' Westrell explained. The Baltic Sea has been a hot spot for these bacteria, with a significant increase in reported cases from several countries during the 2018 heatwave, Westrell said. With global temperatures rising, Vibrio species are expanding beyond the Baltic area, and the ECDC is actively increasing its surveillance on the microbe. European Member States report on the occurrence and management of local infectious disease outbreaks linked to water swimming, but comprehensive pan-European data is fragmented and not routinely collected in all waters. Chemical Contaminants European waters also contain a 'cocktail of chemicals,' said Helena Rapp Wright, PhD, a research associate at Imperial College London, London, England. These compounds originate from many sources, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, industrial discharges, agricultural pesticides, and vehicle emissions. Most wastewater treatment plants remove pathogens but are not designed to remove these chemicals. Consequently, many of these substances pass through treatment processes and are discharged directly into rivers and other water bodies. While their concentration is generally low in large bodies of water, the continuous input means they are persistently present. Rapp Wright and her colleagues have found 'loads of chemicals' in English and Irish waters. While many pose no risk at current concentrations, some compounds are 'quite toxic,' she said. Particularly concerning are pesticides detected at high-risk levels, such as imidacloprid, which was banned in 2018 but is still used for pet flea treatments, and antibiotics due to their potential contribution to antimicrobial resistance, she explained. But for swimmers like Reineke, who trains at least 1 hour in the Thames 6 days a week, the primary health concern related to chemical contaminants is often long-term exposure and the potential of developing chronic conditions, rather than immediate acute effects, which are more commonly associated with microbial pathogens. What General Practitioners (GPs) Should Be Aware of and Do To reap the health benefits of open water swimming while minimizing the possible hazards associated with exposure to pathogens and pollutants, GPs can help their patients practice this sport in the safest way: Understand risk profiles: While many coastal bathing areas are designated and monitored, rivers and inland lakes often lack this official status, implying a higher inherent health risk for swimmers in these less-regulated environments. While many coastal bathing areas are designated and monitored, rivers and inland lakes often lack this official status, implying a higher inherent health risk for swimmers in these less-regulated environments. Advise on avoidance: It is important to advise patients to avoid open water swimming during and immediately after periods of heavy rainfall, especially if these follow dry spells. Such conditions significantly increase the likelihood of combined sewer overflows discharging untreated sewage directly into waterways. It is important to advise patients to avoid open water swimming during and immediately after periods of heavy rainfall, especially if these follow dry spells. Such conditions significantly increase the likelihood of combined sewer overflows discharging untreated sewage directly into waterways. Encourage informed decisions: Encourage patients to utilize readily available public resources before swimming. These include official online bathing water profiles provided by environmental agencies, such as the Environment Agency's Swimfo in the United Kingdom, and local real-time pollution maps, such as Wild Swim Map, which visually indicate safe (green) vs recently polluted (red) areas. Encourage patients to utilize readily available public resources before swimming. These include official online bathing water profiles provided by environmental agencies, such as the Environment Agency's Swimfo in the United Kingdom, and local real-time pollution maps, such as Wild Swim Map, which visually indicate safe (green) vs recently polluted (red) areas. Clinical suspicion: When patients present with unexplained gastrointestinal issues, skin rashes, respiratory symptoms, or ear, nose, and throat infections, GPs should always inquire about recent open water swimming exposure in their history taking. For severe wound infections, particularly after swimming in warmer brackish waters, consider Vibrio as a potential pathogen. Ultimately, Rapp Wright said that the goal is not to deter enthusiasts from the therapeutic joys of open water bathing and swimming. 'We don't want people to stop [swimming], we want to make sure that they do it safely.' As for Reineke, the potential of falling ill has not stopped her from dipping into the water. 'I want to do Oceans Seven and become the first British female to do that.' Medscape Medical News reached out to the European Commission spokesperson responsible for health, but they declined an interview. Reineke, Westrell, and Rapp Wright disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Scotsman
27-05-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Norovirus symptoms in kids to look out for this half term
It has been described by the UKHSA as 'incredibly infectious' 🤢 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... This half term children across the UK will be mixing with friends and family. Norovirus is a highly contagious stomach bug that spreads easily through close contact. These are the symptoms parents should be aware of this half term. The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA), have issued a fresh plea in a post on social media for people to 'stay at home' if they have the symptoms of norovirus this half term. Children and parents across the UK will be mixing with friends and family this week as they welcome a break from school. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Norovirus, which is also known as the winter vomiting bug is a highly contagious stomach bug that spreads easily through close contact and is not killed by hand sanitiser gels. The latest statistics from the UKHSA show that the four-week period leading up to April 27, the total number of norovirus cases more than double (156.9%) the five-season average for the same four-week period. Norovirus activity remains high but has started to decrease in recent weeks. If you or your children have the symptoms of the 'highly infectious' stomach bug, you are being urged to 'stay home' to stop the spread. Norovirus can easily spread amongst children. | Pexels, MART PRODUCTION What is norovirus? Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, is a stomach bug that causes sickness and diarrhoea. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It is highly contagious and can easily spread throughout settings where people have close contact such as nurseries or schools. Young children and babies are at higher risk of developing complications and prolonged symptoms, which may require medical treatment, so it's important for parents to be aware of the tell-tale signs. How long does norovirus last? Norovirus, whilst unpleasant, generally doesn't last long, with symptoms in both children and adults usually starting to get better within two to three days. Norovirus is highly contagious, even if you have no symptoms you can still be infectious. To prevent infecting others the NHS recommend you stay at home and avoid sending the kids to nursery or school for 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the symptoms of norovirus in children? The symptoms of norovirus in children can come on suddenly, they are the same as symptoms in adults, which can include: vomiting diarrhoea abdominal pain a high temperature headache aches and pains For those in vulnerable groups, such as young children and babies, norovirus can cause complications due to dehydration which may require medical treatment. It's important to keep children with norovirus hydrated and to look out for the signs of dehydration, which in children can include: feeling thirsty dark yellow, strong-smelling pee peeing less often than usual feeling dizzy or lightheaded feeling tired a dry mouth, lips and tongue sunken eyes And in babies can include: a sunken soft spot (fontanelle) on top of their head sunken eyes few or no tears when they cry not having many wet nappies being drowsy or irritable How long is norovirus contagious? Norovirus has an incubation period of between 12 to 48 hours, with symptoms often coming on suddenly. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Children are most infectious when they have symptoms, but it is possible to spread norovirus before and after symptoms have stopped. This is why the NHS advise children should stay at home and not attend school or nursery until 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped. Norovirus is easily spread through close contact, it cannot be killed by alcohol hand sanitisation gels, with children advised to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water to avoid catching it or spreading it to others.
