Norovirus: Five ways to avoid catching the 'harrowing' winter bug sweeping UK

As Norovirus is connected the emergence successful the UK, the Mirror takes a look astatine the ways Brits tin debar catching the highly contagious wintertime bug and forestall it from spreading

Alarming figures amusement Norovirus is connected the emergence successful the UK - but determination are galore ways Brits can debar catching it.

The latest NHS information shows infections accrued by 29 percent betwixt September 23 and October 6, which is doubly the emblematic complaint for this clip of year. Some sufferers person complained of feeling 'worse than they've ever felt', portion others person called the sickness symptoms 'harrowing'.

The highly-infectious bug tin origin terrible diarrhoea, vomiting, precocious temperatures, headaches, and assemblage aches. Usually, these symptoms volition commencement wrong 24-48 hours of corruption and spell wrong 2 to 3 days. But however bash you forestall it from spreading successful the archetypal place? Here, the Mirror takes a look...

Stay astatine home

If you fishy you person Norovirus, you should enactment location and debar going to enactment oregon school. NHS Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Christine Woodgate shared connected TikTok: "If you are feeling oregon being sick, person diarrhoea oregon person a temperature, headache, oregon aching successful your arms oregon legs, it could beryllium Norovirus."

She advised: "Do not sojourn attraction homes oregon hospitals during this time", and said you tin lone instrumentality to enactment oregon acquisition erstwhile you've "not had diarrhoea oregon vomiting for 2 days".

Wash your hands regularly

To halt the seasonal unwellness from spreading, you should "wash your hands with soap and water" regularly, Woodgate continued. The NHS recommends that you lavation your hands for astir 40 seconds, and bash not substitute soap for manus sanitiser. It is particularly important that you lavation your hands aft going to the toilet, changing a nappy and earlier eating oregon handling food.

Call 111 if you are worried

If you person concerns astir your symptoms oregon your child's, you should telephone 111, Woodgate advised. She added the "very unpleasant" tummy bug tin beryllium treated astatine location with remainder and plentifulness of fluids, and should not past longer than a mates of days. Norovirus usually does not necessitate nonrecreational treatment.

The NHS advises not going to your GP with Norovirus due to the fact that the illness tin easy dispersed to others. However, if determination is vomit successful your blood, your vomit looks similar crushed java oregon is yellow-green, oregon you person stiff cervix symptom erstwhile looking astatine agleam lights, you should spell to A&E.

Wash bedding connected a boil

You should lavation regularly worn items of covering and bedding connected a blistery lavation erstwhile a week to termination immoderate microorganism particles. Electronics marque Beko recommends washing furniture sheets astatine 60C play to forestall bugs from spreading. Beko states: "If you person delicate skin, but your appliance does not diagnostic a dedicated anti-allergy programme, your bedding should beryllium washed connected a hot/boil lavation astatine 60 degrees to assistance forestall infections from persisting oregon spreading."

Avoid sharing towels

The NHS besides advises avoiding sharing towels and flannels with anybody other to forestall bugs from spreading. You should besides disinfect immoderate surfaces oregon objects successful your location that could beryllium contaminated utilizing a bleach-based household cleaner.