Norovirus outbreak nationwide

Three quarters of a million people in the UK could be affected by an outbreak of norovirus this winter according to the Health Protection Agency.

The announcement comes as Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary fight to control their third outbreak of the winter vomiting bug in eight months.

Kim Ingles reports:

Featured in this report are Senior Infection Control Nurse, Natalie Oakes and Infection Control Manager, Elaine Ross.

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The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has warned that for every confirmed case of the stomach bug, there are likely to be a further 288 unreported sufferers.

There have been 2,630 confirmed cases so far this season, meaning that the real number could be 757,440.

A spokesperson for the HPA said: "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."

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• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
• If you feel like eating, eat foods that are easy to digest.
• Take paracetamol for any fever or aches and pains.
• Stay at home and don't go to the doctor, because norovirus is contagious and there is nothing the doctor can do while you have it.

• However, contact your GP to seek advice if your symptoms last longer than a few days or if you already have a serious illness.

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Daybreak's Health Editor, Dr Hilary Jones, has told viewers how to stop the spread of the winter vomiting bug, the norovirus.

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#Norovirus If you have symptoms, try our online checker https://t.co/4WkAHcrU #CheckYourself

From @nhsdirect on Twitter: ( 8:35 am, Thu 13 Dec 2012)

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If you have norovirus, the following steps should help ease your symptoms:

• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
• Take paracetamol for any fever or aches and pains
• If you feel like eating, eat foods that are easy to digest.
• Stay at home and don't go to the doctor, because norovirus is contagious and there is nothing the doctor can do while you have it.

• BUT, do contact your GP to seek advice if your symptoms last longer than a few days or if you already have a serious illness.

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