Norovirus cases ‘remain high’ as data reveals vomiting bug hotspots

Health officials have warned norovirus cases remain high, with more than one thousand hospital beds taken up by the winter vomiting bug last week. 

The number of hospital beds in England occupied or closed for infected patients still sits close to the previous week’s record high of 950 beds filled each day. 

Health leaders believe that despite a slight drop in numbers, winter viruses continue to put pressure on hospitals that are already near capacity, with around 1,5000 patients in hospital with flu per day last week. 

Norovirus is highly contagious and can be life-threatening in older adults, younger children and people with weaker immune systems.  

This increased pressure on the health service led to five trusts declaring critical incidents last month, with East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust announcing yesterday the hospital had ‘limited capacity’ to admit more patients needing care. 

Hospitals in the north of England have been hit the hardest, with hospitals in the North West averaging over 60 beds filled every single day last week due to norovirus. 

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, in the East of England was an outlier with more than 100 beds taken up by norovirus patients at the end of last week. 

Cases in London and the Midlands remained relatively low. 

This is down 5 per cent from the previous week’s average and marks the first week-on-week fall in norovirus patients since the end of December. 

The Daily Mail has also crunched the data into an interactive map, allowing readers to see exactly how many people in your local area have been hospitalised with the bug.

A critical incident, which is usually declared when the level of disruption means that A&E departments are no longer able to deliver critical services safely and patients may come to harm, is the highest alert level used by the NHS. 

As such, health officials continue to urge the public to only use 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies and use NHS 111 for other conditions. 

Those affected by the winter vomiting bug are encouraged to self-isolate for two days to help prevent the bug from spreading. 

Amy Douglas, lead epidemiologist at the UKHSA, has warned the virus hits vulnerable groups harder.

She said: ‘Norovirus cases have remained high in recent weeks, particularly among people aged 65 and over.

‘We should all remember the simple steps we can all take to stop norovirus spreading. 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.

‘If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, don’t 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 to those most vulnerable.’

Flu levels are low and falling, COVID-19 remains at baseline levels, and RSV – which can be dangerous for babies and older adults – has declined overall.

However, officials warned RSV levels remain stubbornly unchanged among older adults, prompting renewed calls for eligible groups to get vaccinated.

On average in the UK around 9,000 elderly people become infected with RSV each year and have to be admitted to hospital, according to the NHS.

The virus spreads easily and can affect the lungs of older people harder than younger age groups.  

On Monday, the Government announced that from April this year the RSV vaccine will be offered to additional groups, including those most vulnerable to serious outcomes from infection.

Vaccination will now be offered to adults aged over 80-years-old, all residents in care homes for older adults in addition to the existing programme which covers those turning 75 and pregnant women. 

Dr Conall Watson, Consultant Epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency, said: ‘RSV lung infection is less well known than COVID or flu but for older adults it puts thousands in hospital each year with a risk to life. 

‘This extension of the RSV vaccination programme to everyone over 80 or living in a care home for older adults means many more will soon be able to get protected. 

‘Analysis has shown those aged 75 to 79 already getting the vaccine are much less likely to be hospitalised. And the evidence is clear that the RSV vaccine offered to pregnant women is providing excellent protection to babies. 

‘When you are offered the vaccine, don’t hesitate.’