NHS warns ‘a storm of norovirus infections’ means hospitals are ‘close to capability’

The NHS says “a storm of norovirus infections” is causing more people to fall seriously ill as hospitals are “near capacity”.

NHS data shows numbers in hospital with the sickness bug jumped by 22% in England last week to a new winter high. An average of 1,160 hospital beds were filled each day last week by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting, up from 948 the previous week.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned infections are still rising although it hopes children being off school for half term may soon have an effect of slowing its spread. Amy Douglas, Lead Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “Norovirus cases are still exceptionally high and continue to rise, though we are hopeful that the school half term provides a break. It remains important to take steps to avoid passing on the infection.

“Norovirus remains high in other settings like hospitals and care homes too, and can be more severe in older adults, younger children and those who are immunocompromised. Please do not visit hospitals and care homes or return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped and don’t prepare food for others as you can still pass on the virus.”

Norovirus levels also remain much higher than at this point 12 months ago, when an average of 509 beds were filled with patients with symptoms. The UKHSA is due to release latest infection data later from surveillance labs which will indicate whether infections are still increasing in the wider community. It can take a week or two for a fall in infections to result in fewer hospitalisations.

The NHS says norovirus symptoms usually last two to three days but people remain infectious for up to 72 hours after symptoms have stopped. It is warning people not to visit hospitals or care facilities or prepare food for others during this period. There is no specific treatment for norovirus but drinking plenty of fluids is advised to avoid dehydration.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England Medical Director, said: “It is concerning to see the number of patients with norovirus hit an all-time high and there is no let up for hospital staff who are working tirelessly to treat more than a thousand patients each day with the horrible bug, on top of other winter viruses.

“To help stop the spread of norovirus, it is important to remember to wash your hands frequently with soap and water and avoid mixing with other people until you have not had symptoms for two days. Hospitals continue to run at near capacity, with added pressure from almost one in seven beds taken up by patients who don’t need to be in hospital.”

The main norovirus symptoms are feeling sick – which can include projectile vomiting – and diarrhoea. Patients can also have a high temperature, headache, tummy pain, body aches and pains.

Amy Douglas said: “Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus. Wash your hands with soapy warm water and clean surfaces with bleach-based products where possible to help stop infections from spreading.”

The weekly NHS situation report also shows that 29.1% of patients arriving by ambulance at hospitals in England last week waited at least 30 minutes to be handed over to A&E teams, up from 27.9% in the previous week. The figure stood as high as 42.2% at the start of the year. Some 9.6% of ambulance handovers last week were delayed by more than an hour, up week-on-week from 9.1%, but well below the peak of 21.3% in early January.

Health Secretary, Wes Streeting said: “Today’s data shows the NHS is continuing to grapple with winter pressures across the country and I want to thank all the NHS staff working tirelessly in difficult conditions. We have taken action to support the NHS this winter, including delivering millions of vaccinations for people up and down the country, rolling out the RSV vaccine for the first time and ending the resident doctor strikes so that staff are on the front line, not the picket line for the first winter in three years. It will take time, but through our Plan for Change, we will get the NHS back on its feet.”

The Mirror visited the trust last month to expose the extent of “corridor care” as hospitals come under more pressure than at any other time outside the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prof Powis added: “As these NHS pressures continue it is vital that the public continue to use 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies and use NHS 111 – and 111 online – if you need advice and support for other conditions.”