UK - Norovirus cases 2012

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Virus forces Derby hotel to close as Olympians are hit by bug

Monday, July 23, 2012
D_Telegraph

A DERBY hotel has closed after a stomach bug hit three members of Australia’s Olympic badminton team who were staying there.

Mickleover Court Hotel confirmed yesterday it had temporarily shut “as a purely precautionary measure” due to a small number of guests being diagnosed with a “viral infection”.

A cleaning firm was called in over the weekend.

Mickleover Court said no more than six of its guests had been hit by the virus and no staff had been affected.

The hotel, in Etwall Road, Mickleover, was known to be accommodating Australia’s Olympic badminton team. The Derby Telegraph reported last week that team members Ross Smith, Renuga Veeran and Glenn Warfe had been taken ill and had been told by a doctor that they had food poisoning.
But yesterday the hotel said the outbreak had not been caused by food poisoning.

A spokesman for the Health Protection Agency said the cause of the illness had been identified as norovirus...

Full text:
http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Vi...ail/story.html

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23 July 2012 Last updated at 10:25 ET

2012: Badminton teams in hotel food poisoning

Five members of Australia and Canada's badminton teams were among a number of guests who fell ill with food poisoning at a hotel in Derbyshire.
...
It said norovirus had been identified as the cause of the infection.

The three Australians have fully recovered but two Canadians had to miss a warm-up match on Saturday.

The three affected Australian badminton players were Ross Smith, Renuga Veeran and Glenn Warfe while Michelle Li and Alex Bruce were the ill Canadians.

Full text:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-18954375

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Friday 24 August 2012

Bretton Water Park set to re-open after norovirus outbreak

By Ken McErlain
Published on Thursday 23 August 2012 16:32

Sickness-stricken Bretton Water Park will reopen to the public on Saturday (25 August) - subject to getting a clean bill of health in final tests.

The £300,000 water park was abruptly closed four weeks ago after parents began reporting their children had been ill after playing at the complex.

Peterborough City Council closed the park to carry out tests and cleaning and revealed an outbreak of norovirus had caused 64 children to fall sick with diarrhoea and vomiting.

New facilities have now been installed at the park in a bid to prevent another outbreak, including setting up a drinking fountain, which had not been a feature of the park, plus improved baby changing and toilet facilities.

More...
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/n...reak-1-4190374

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25 September 2012 Last updated at 14:05 ET

Hilton Hotel, Newport: Norovirus blamed as 74 fall ill

A total of 74 people have become ill after visiting a hotel in Newport.

An investigation is being carried out after 51 guests and 23 staff were affected by a viral infection, which is probably norovirus, at the Hilton Hotel in Langstone.

They started to become ill last Tuesday and suffered diarrhoea and vomiting.
Hilton Worldwide said the wellbeing of guests and staff was of "paramount importance" and it had brought in "stringent" health and safety measures.

Public health officials say the outbreak is not linked to a particular function or event, but the virus was passed by someone originally infected.

Newport council alerted Public Health Wales two days after the first illnesses.

Read more...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-s...wales-19720342

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Bug which closed Reinwood schools could be common norovirus

by Martin Shaw, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
Sep 29 2012

A BUG which closed two Huddersfield schools yesterday is thought to be the norovirus or ‘winter vomiting disease’.

Reinwood Junior School and Reinwood Infant and Nursery in Oakes both shut as children were struck down.

It is thought as many as a quarter of the 700 pupils were affected.

The schools were advised to undergo a “deep clean” and were expected to re-open on Monday.

More...
http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local...6081-31929539/

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Norovirus at Stafford Hospital (1)

16 October 2012

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust is asking members of the public who have recently experienced nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea not to visit its hospitals to prevent the spread of the infection.

Colin Ovington, Director of Nursing said: ’If you have had any of these symptoms, or know anyone who has, we would ask you to try and avoid coming to either of our hospitals – especially as a visitor.’

Norovirus is currently present on Ward 10 at Stafford Hospital. Both Ward 10 and the adjacent Acute Stroke Unit have a number of beds closed to admissions, transfers and discharges to nursing/residential homes and visiting is currently limited. Other areas of the wards are operating as normal.

http://www.midstaffs.nhs.uk/About-Us...pital-(1).aspx

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Visiting still suspended at Warwick Hospital after winter sickness outbreak

Oct 17 2012

VISITING is still suspended at Warwick Hospital after a winter sickness outbreak, while nearby Stratford Hospital – which is run by the same trust – has closed its Nicol Unit after a suspected case of norovirus.

Visitors will only be admitted on compassionate grounds to see seriously ill patients. This must be arranged with the ward manager in advance.

Read More http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/new...#ixzz29ZPI1AWK

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Diarrhoea and Vomiting - Raigmore Hospital 171012

17/10/2012 | Raigmore

Ward 2A (medical ward) in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness remains closed to new admissions and visitors are being asked not to attend while staff in the hospital deal with several cases of diarrhoea and vomiting.

The ward, which was closed as of Monday 15th October now has 15 patients affected, this is an increase of one since yesterday. Two patients are still experiencing symptoms.

Testing is still being done however some samples have come back confirming that this is norovirus. The virus, which causes diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, spreads in the air where someone has had diarrhoea or vomited and is extremely difficult to contain.

There is no specific treatment for a norovirus infection and it is not usually necessary to visit a doctor. The best course of action is to stay at home, take paracetamol to relieve symptoms of any fever and to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. People should also adhere to strict hand washing techniques to reduce the spread of the virus.

More...
http://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/N...tal171012.aspx

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Winter vomiting bug starts a month early: official figures

Hundreds of thousand of people have suffered from the winter vomiting bug as the disease strikes early and rates are already up by a quarter on last year.

By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
7:00AM GMT 10 Nov 2012
...
So far this season there have been 1207 cases of norovirus confirmed with laboratory tests in England, which are considered to the tip of the iceberg with thousands more people suffering symptoms without seeking medical help or being tested.

This is 27 per cent higher than at the same time last year when there had been 954 laboratory confirmed cases and higher than any year since 2007/8.

Laboratory tests are subject to delay so the real figure is likely to be higher and will continue to rise, experts said.
...
Figures from NHS Direct show the south west, north east, south east central region, south central and Wales have been the hardest hit in the last week, with more than five per cent of calls related to vomiting symptoms.

GP consultations mirror the figures also with consulations about norovirus and rotavirus symptoms above average with between 12 per cent of adults and 25 per cent of children given oral rehydration powders to combat the disease.

Hospital outbreaks are also up on last year the HPA figures show, with 49 outbreaks reported in October last year and 89 this year.
...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/he...l-figures.html

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-20432458

21 November 2012 Last updated at 11:39 ET
Norovirus outbreak warning by health experts

Health experts are warning of an unusually severe winter outbreak of the norovirus diarrhoea and vomiting bug.

Cases of the virus are already higher than normal for the time of year and its peak season is still to come.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said laboratory reports of the virus had recently risen from 48 in week 43 of 2012 to 114 reports by week 45.

Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Sir Harry Burns has warned of norovirus cases being detected earlier this year.

The HPA estimates some 290 cases of norovirus occur in the community for every case reported to the authorities...

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England v New Zealand: All Blacks laid low by Norovirus but coach Steve Hansen anticipates no withdrawals

New Zealand have fallen victim to a Norovirus that is sweeping the nation, but coach Steve Hansen anticipates no withdrawals from his starting XV to face England.

By Telegraph Sport
10:55AM GMT 29 Nov 2012

All but two members of the New Zealand squad have been afflicted by the vomiting and diarrhoea bug, which first struck before Saturday's 33-10 victory over Wales.

Many members of the touring party were confined to their rooms after being afflicted during yesterday's down day.
...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rug...thdrawals.html

[Giuseppe Michieli]

[Source: Health Protection Agency, United Kingdom, full page: (LINK). Edited.]

HPA update on seasonal norovirus activity

4 December 2012


Figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show a drop in the number of hospital outbreaks of norovirus from 53 in the two weeks to November 25 2012 down to 40 in the two weeks to the 2 December 2012. The latest weekly report is now published.

However, the total number of confirmed laboratory reports of norovirus (both from community and hospital cases) is 2,313 for the season which is 64 per cent higher than the same period in the last season when there were 1,412 cases reported. There are no clear indications as to why activity is higher this year.

The laboratory confirmed reports only represent a small proportion of the actual amount of norovirus activity in the community and it is estimated for every confirmed case there are a further 288 unreported cases*.

As part of the HPA’s surveillance of norovirus it collects data from NHS Direct. Analysis of calls into the service show that the proportion of calls for diarrhoea are stable and within seasonally expected levels. Those relating to vomiting are decreasing but are still higher than the usual levels seen at this time of the year.

Norovirus is highly contagious and can be transmitted by contact with an infected person; by consuming contaminated food or water or by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. The virus spreads rapidly in closed environments such as hospitals, schools, nursing and residential homes.

Its symptoms include a sudden onset of vomiting and/or diarrhoea. Some people may have a temperature, headache and stomach cramps. The illness usually resolves in one or two days and there are no long-term effects.

Dr Bob Adak, head of the gastrointestinal diseases department at the HPA said: “The norovirus season is always completely unpredictable as it peaks and falls over several months – usually October to April. However, one thing we do know is that every year we will see a large amount of norovirus activity because it is highly contagious.

“The figures for the last two weeks show that there has been a reduction in the numbers of outbreaks in hospitals although there are clearly a lot of other people becoming unwell as we can see from the number of lab reports. We would like to remind people to avoid visiting friends or relatives in hospital or care homes if they have symptoms consistent with a norovirus infection as it can lead to ward closures and severe disruption.

“Norovirus is a short-lived unpleasant infection but most people will fully recover in a couple of days. It is important to remain hydrated as you will be losing a lot of fluids due to the symptoms. Over-the-counter medicines can also be useful in reducing headaches and other aches and pains”.



Advice for the public when managing a bout of norovirus:

• Do not visit your GP surgery or local A&E Unit. Norovirus infection is a self-limiting illness and you will recover naturally without treatment. It is, however, important to take plenty of drinks to replace lost fluids.
• Use NHS Direct's new diarrhoea and vomiting online health and symptom checker, to get advice on how to manage your symptoms at home or help to access the most appropriate health service visit the NHS Directwebsite [external link].
• Wash hands thoroughly and regularly at all times, but particularly after using the toilet and before eating.
• Do not visit friends or relatives in hospitals or residential care homes as there is a real risk that you would introduce the infection putting vulnerable people at risk.

ENDS



Notes to Editors

1. *Data from The Infectious Intestinal Diseases II (IID II) report can be found at theFood Standard Agency website [external link].
2. The latest norovirus report can be found at the HPA Norovirus page.
3. The Health Protection Agency is an independent UK organisation that was set up by the government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards. In April 2013, subject to the usual approvals procedures for establishing new bodies, the Health Protection Agency will become part of a new organisation called Public Health England, an executive agency of the Department of Health. To find out more, visit our website: http://www.hpa.org.uk [external link] or follow us on Twitter @HPAuk or ‘Like’ us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HealthProtectionAgency [external link].
4. For more information please contact the national HPA press office at Colindale on 0208 327 7901 or email colindale-pressoffice@hpa.org.uk. Out of hours the duty press officer can be contacted on 0208 200 4400.

Last reviewed: 4 December 2012

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Help us protect patients from Norovrius, says Health Board

Friday, 7 December 2012

With the numbers of norovirus infections across the UK at higher levels than normal, and with the peak winter period ahead, the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is urging people to help it keep the infection away from hospitals.

The most effective step that everyone can take to protect themselves from a range of infectious illness is to wash hands regularly. In particular, visitors coming onto wards to see family or friends who are in hospital must use the cleansing hand gel or foam that is provided in dispensers at every ward entrance.

We ask that there are no more than two visitors at any bed at any time, and for all visitors to comply with advice from hospital staff or displayed on notices and posters. Where there have been cases of norovirus we might have to limit visiting to close family members to help reduce the chances of the virus spreading.

Visitors should always wash their hands before leaving a ward area to help avoid carrying any infections away with them. If people have visited someone who is on a ward where there have been cases of norovirus the please do not go and visit someone in another part of the hospital.

And, most importantly, if you have suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting (D&V) then please wait until you have been free of symptoms for at least 48 hours before coming into hospital as a visitor. If you are due to come in as a patient and develop D&V please ring the relevant ward or out patient department for advice before coming in.


Source: Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/861/news/25169

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9 December 2012 Last updated at 05:34 ET

Norovirus closes three wards at Derriford Hospital

Three wards have been closed at a Plymouth hospital after a virus outbreak, staff have confirmed.

Wards closed at Derriford Hospital after the the outbreak of norovirus - better known as the winter vomiting bug - include Shipley and Monkswell.
...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-20657419

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10 December 2012
Last updated at 07:57 ET

Dumfries Infirmary wards affected by norovirus bug

Three wards at Dumfries Infirmary have been closed to new admissions after a fresh outbreak of the norovirus winter sickness bug.

A total of 38 patients and 14 staff have been affected.
...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...tland-20664123

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Sickness bug shuts four wards at University Hospital of North Staffordshire

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

By Dave Blackhurst

FOUR wards have been closed to new patients because of a bug outbreak at Staffordshire's biggest hospital.

The restrictions mean up to 80 beds at the 1,100-bed University Hospital of North Staffordshire are out of action and unable to take emergency cases from its overstretched A&E unit.

The wards have been sealed off to new admissions to help tackle cases of the winter vomiting bug.

Hospital officials today urged visitors with the symptoms of the so-called norovirus to stay away from the hospital.

...
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk...ail/story.html

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Wednesday 12 December 2012

Suspected ‘norovirus’ bug hits Penicuik school

Published on Wednesday 12 December 2012 07:00

PARENTS were told to stay away from a school’s nativity play this week after a stomach virus outbreak.

The suspected norovirus bug among pupils at Mauricewood Primary School in Penicuik prompted Midlothian Council to restrict access to the building at Greenlaw Mains.
...
http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.u...hool-1-2685889

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12 December 2012
Last updated at 06:56 ET

Crieff Community Hospital closes ward due to norovirus

A Perthshire hospital has closed one its wards to new admissions following an outbreak of norovirus.

Ward 2 at Crieff Community Hospital has been closed following several cases of vomiting and diarrhoea.

NHS Tayside said it believed the closure was due to an outbreak of norovirus, more commonly known as the winter vomiting bug.
...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...ntral-20693688

[Giuseppe Michieli]

[Source: Health Protection Agency, United Kingdom, full page: (LINK).]

HPA update on seasonal norovirus activity

12 December 2012


Figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show that in the two weeks ending December 2 there has been a 28 per cent reduction in the number of confirmed lab reports of norovirus.

During the week ending November 25 there were 327 confirmed cases and 236 during the week ending December 2.

The latest weekly report is published today.

The figures for the number of hospital outbreaks show that there were 45 hospital outbreaks during the last two weeks up to December 9. This is similar to the previous fortnight to December 2.

In this season to date there have been 2,630 confirmed laboratory reports of norovirus. This is 72 per cent higher than the same period in the last season when there were 1,533 cases reported. There are no indications as to why activity is higher this year.

Laboratory confirmed reports represent only a small proportion of the actual amount of norovirus activity in the community, because the vast majority of affected people do not access health care services as a result of their illness. It has been estimated that for every confirmed case there are around 288 unreported cases*.

As part of the HPA’s surveillance of norovirus data are collected from various sources including NHS Direct. Analysis of calls to NHS direct show that the proportion of calls for diarrhoea and vomiting are stable and within seasonally expected levels.

Norovirus is highly contagious and can be transmitted by contact with an infected person; by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects or by consuming contaminated food or water. The virus spreads rapidly in closed environments such as hospitals, schools and care homes.

Symptoms of norovirus include a sudden onset of vomiting and/or diarrhoea. Some people may have a temperature, headache and stomach cramps. The illness usually resolves in one or two days and there are no long-term effects.

John Harris, an expert in norovirus at the HPA said: “Our figures show a small drop in the number of confirmed cases over the last couple of weeks. We cannot read too much into this at present as this is typical of the norovirus season where we see a series of sharp rises and falls in activity between October and April with the bulk of cases usually occurring between January and March.

“People should be vigilant in their hygiene and we would like to remind anyone who has typical symptoms suggestive of norovirus infection to avoid visiting friends or relatives in hospital or care homes. Norovirus infection in hospitals is very disruptive as it can lead to ward closures.

“Having a norovirus infection is very unpleasant but it is short-lived and most people will fully recover in a couple of days. Make sure that you or anyone you are caring for takes plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. Over-the-counter medicines can also be useful in reducing headaches and other aches and pains”.

Advice for the public when managing a bout of norovirus:

• Do not visit your GP surgery or local A&E Unit. Norovirus infection is a self-limiting illness and you will recover naturally without treatment. It is, however, important to take plenty of drinks to replace lost fluids.
• Use NHS Direct's new diarrhoea and vomiting online health and symptom checker, to get advice on how to manage your symptoms at home or help to access the most appropriate health service: https://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/CheckSymptoms/SATs/DandV5AndOver.aspx
• Wash hands thoroughly and regularly at all times, but particularly after using the toilet and before eating.
• Do not visit friends or relatives in hospitals or residential care homes as there is a real risk that you would introduce the infection putting vulnerable people at risk.

ENDS



Notes for editors:

1. *Data from The Infectious Intestinal Diseases II (IID II) report can be found here: http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/foodborneillness/foodbornediseaseresearch/
   b14programme/b14projlist/b18021/#.ULzDFiKPWHc
2. The latest norovirus report can be found here: http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/Norovirus/
3. Figures show that there were 287 laboratory confirmed cases of norovirus in the week ending November 11 (week 45) and during the ending November 18 (week 46) there were 316 cases.
4. The Health Protection Agency is an independent UK organisation that was set up by the government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards. In April 2013, subject to the usual approvals procedures for establishing new bodies, the Health Protection Agency will become part of a new organisation called Public Health England, an executive agency of the Department of Health. To find out more, visit our website: http://www.hpa.org.uk or follow us on Twitter @HPAuk or ‘Like’ us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HealthProtectionAgency
5. For more information please contact the national HPA press office at Colindale on 0208 327 7901 or email colindale-pressoffice@hpa.org.uk. Out of hours the duty press officer can be contacted on 0208 200 4400.

Last reviewed: 12 December 2012

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North Manchester General Hospital to restrict visitors until Saturday to stop Norovirus spread

Alice McKeegan
December 27, 2012

Visiting restrictions will remain in place at North Manchester General Hospital until at least Saturday after a major outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.

The hospital temporarily closed every ward to visitors last Thursday (December 20) to try to contain the spread of the norovirus.

Bosses at Pennine Acute Trust have relaxed the restrictions but six wards remain closed to visitors and new admissions.

More...
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...rovirus-spread
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Ward 23 remains shut at Scunthorpe General Hospital

Thursday, December 27, 2012

A ward at Scunthorpe General Hospital remains closed to visitors following an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting.

Ward 23 is currently closed in order to stop the norovirus disease spread.
...
The ward has been shut since December 19.
...
http://www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk/Wa...ail/story.html

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20854461

28 December 2012 Last updated at 07:26 ET
Cases of the winter vomiting bug 'top a million'

Cases of the winter vomiting bug norovirus in England and Wales have topped a million, latest figures from the Health Protection Agency suggest.

It said there were 3,538 lab-confirmed cases up to 16 December - but that for each another 288 go unreported.

The figure is 83% higher than at this stage last year - but have not increased greatly since last week...

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Norovirus damages trust's recovery

By Ian Dipple Friday 28 December 2012 Updated: 28/12 18:32


REPEATED outbreaks of norovirus have cost the county’s hospitals over half a million pounds and threatens to derail the financial recovery plan of the Trust which runs them.

Some 200 planned operations scheduled at Worcestershire Royal, the Alexandra and Kidderminster hospitals had to be cancelled during November as bosses were forced to shut wards to control the number of patients with the highly infectious sickness and diarrhoea bug.
...

Read more:
http://www.worcesterstandard.co.uk/2...ery-59144.html

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By Nick Owens
30 Dec 2012 13:40

On the sicklist: Hospital closed to visitors for 3rd time as norovirus strikes five wards

A hospital has been forced to ban ­visitors for the SECOND time in a week as health officials battle the norovirus outbreak.

... East Surrey Hospital banned visitors again this weekend as norovirus struck down patients on five wards – after briefly reopening over Christmas.

The hospital, in Redhill, Surrey, was first forced to quarantine wards in November, then again on December 18.
...
A spokesman said: “This is a decision that is not taken lightly.” Relatives could still phone patients, he added.

Hospitals across the UK have been ­battling the outbreak. More than 5,000 NHS workers are ­reportedly calling in sick every day as cases hit a five-year high.

More...
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...or-3rd-1510378