Brits informed to remain at house for 5 days in the event that they catch new harmful ‘Kawasaki’ bug

Health chiefs are pleading with Brits to stay home for five days should they catch a new strain of Norovirus. A new Japanese strain named Kawasaki accounts for a whopping 70% of infections across the UK, and there were 447 confirmed cases in the tail end of October.

Showing a significant 16% jump from the preceding two weeks, hospital admissions have skyrocketed too, standing 26% higher than the average over the past five years, reports the Mirror.

A UKHSA spokesman said: “The increase of the variant has been observed in other countries and is being closely monitored.” The virus, which causes sickness and diarrhoea as well as chills, muscle aches and headaches, can be passed from person to person, picked up on surfaces or spread via food. It tends to subside after three days, but experts are advising Brits should stay at home for at least five days.

Gauri Godbole, deputy director of gastrointestinal infections at the UKHSA, said: ‘If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, do not 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 in these settings.

“People who fall ill with norovirus are advised to rest, get plenty of fluids and take paracetamol. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It’s sometimes referred to as the ‘stomach flu’ although it’s not related to the influenza virus. Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness and outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness worldwide, especially in places like hospitals, cruise ships, schools, and nursing homes, where people are in close quarters.”

There’s no specific cure for norovirus; symptoms typically clear up on their own. It’s crucial to stay hydrated, as dehydration can pose a risk, particularly for young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.

While the sickness is uncomfortable, it’s generally not severe, but it can be more hazardous for susceptible groups.

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