Hospitals have started banning visitors after a surge in the winter vomiting bug norovirus.
Last week an average of 407 hospital beds were occupied by patients sick with norovirus every day.
Nationally cases are up 15 per cent on the week before and so far this winter there have been around double the number of people needing hospital care.
An influx of patients at hospitals around England has forced hundreds of beds to be closed as part of measures to prevent the virus spreading.
The Countess of Chester Hospital and Ellesmere Port Hospital in Manchester have stopped visitors attending while norovirus “is active amongst a small but growing number of patients and while staff are at risk of catching it”.
Hull Royal Infirmary is “strongly discouraging” visitors to patients in affected areas unless “essential”, while Southampton General Hospital was forced to close a ward after a fivefold increase in patients within a week.
Other hospital bosses have warned of the “extremely high demand” winter bugs are placing on emergency departments.
More people are in hospital with vomiting and diarrhoea at this time of year than any since before the Covid pandemic, up from 320 in 2022, 170 in 2021 and 32 in 2020.
Although lower than the numbers seen in 2019 (854), it is also more than 2018 (358).
Flu cases are also on the rise, with the number of people admitted to hospital up 53 per cent in a week to 234 people on average each day, new NHS data has shown.
There were also 11 per cent more children in hospital with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) last week than at the same time last year.
‘No surprise’
Professor Julian Redhead, NHS clinical director for urgent and emergency care, said: “This latest data will come as no surprise to those of us working on the frontline, who are seeing the number of people coming to emergency departments and patients in hospital with viruses like flu, RSV, and norovirus creeping up.”
He added: “Demand on hospitals and staff remains high, and as we experience more spells of cold weather and people gathering indoors for festive events and end of year celebrations, we expect to see a continued increase in winter viruses spreading in the community and in some cases, this will lead to hospital admissions.”
Dr Peter Williams, medical director, Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “As with all other hospitals across the country, we are experiencing extremely high demand for our emergency care services, and with the recent cold spell, there is significant pressure on A&E departments.
“Infection rates in the local community for illnesses such as diarrhoea and vomiting are on the rise, with winter respiratory viruses including flu and Covid infections also remaining prevalent.”
Richard Jennings, group chief medical officer, St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group, said: “Our three emergency departments are responding to very high demand at a time when our hospitals are very full, and in particular we are seeing an increase in people coming to our emergency departments with norovirus and flu – both of which can make vulnerable people very poorly.”
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
