Norovirus cases in the UK are 75 per cent higher than normal due to an outbreak in care homes.
More than 1,200 cases of the virus were detected in April, compared to the five-season average of 706 laboratory-confirmed cases, the UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA) revealed.
The majority of laboratory cases were found in people over 65 years of age and in social care areas and nursing homes.
Norovirus, winter vomiting virus, is a stomach virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea.
The UKHSA said the unusually high number of cases could be due to unusually cold weather or changes in epidemiology or testing practices after the pandemic, The Times reports.
A norovirus outbreak in care homes has seen cases in the UK rise up to 75 per cent higher than usual.
Norovirus, the winter vomiting virus, is a stomach virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea (file image)
In May, cases were reported to have spiked to their highest seasonal level in five years amid a nationwide surge.
UKHSA norovirus epidemiologist Amy Douglas previously said: “Norovirus levels were higher in April than we would normally see at this time of year and have been increasing.
“This is likely due to a combination of factors, but the colder weather we have had will not have helped.”
‘Norovirus can cause dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and elderly or immunocompromised people, so if you get sick it is important to drink plenty of fluids.
“If you have diarrhea and vomiting, you can take steps to avoid spreading the infection.”
She added: “Do not return to work, school or daycare until 48 hours after your symptoms have gone away, and do not prepare food for others during that time.”
‘If you are unwell, avoid visiting people in hospitals and nursing homes to avoid spreading the infection in these settings.
The UKHSA said the unusually high number of cases could be due to unusually cold weather or changes in epidemiology or testing practices following the pandemic (file image)
Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will also help stop the spread of infection.
“Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus, so don’t rely on them alone.”
Experts have suggested that Covid restrictions could also be partly to blame for the current surge, as fewer people have been exposed to norovirus than usual since the start of the pandemic.
According to their theory, our bodies may be less equipped to fight infection after years with little exposure to them.
The same reason was partly attributed to the unprecedented increase in scarlet fever cases, which in 2022 skyrocketed to the highest number recorded since the 1950s.
But they also warned that new strains of the virus could be behind the surge.
Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Government’s vaccine advisory panel at the University of Bristol, told MailOnline: “The recent higher-than-usual figures may still be linked, at least in part, to the drop in numbers over the Covid lockdown period.”
‘We continue to see unusual epidemiology in terms of number of cases and seasonality of numerous infections, after the pandemic. Relatively bad weather during the spring may also have contributed.
‘Sometimes we see the emergence of new strains of norovirus against which people have little or no immunity due to previous infections.
‘About 17 percent of the most recent cases are due to a strain called G.II.17 that has emerged very recently. Therefore, this may also contribute to the number of cases being higher than usual.’
He added: “There are also vaccines on the horizon and one is about to announce results from a phase three trial.”
“Therefore, we may have the tools to prevent or at least reduce this problem in the not-too-distant future.”