Health warning as cases of winter virus quadruple this year

CASES of the winter vomiting bug have quadrupled this year, health figures reveal.

Last week there were 706 adult patients in hospital with norovirus.

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That was down five per cent from 743 the previous week, but nearly four times the number this time last year.

Norovirus, a viral infection causing vomiting and diarrhoea, is spread by contact with infected people and contaminated surfaces.

Covid is also on the rise, putting further pressure on NHS staff, but flu cases continue to fall.

There were 7,209 patients in hospital in England on February 15 with Covid, up 13 per cent on the previous week.

The majority tested positive after arriving in hospital with another condition.

The number of flu patients dropped for the sixth week in a row, with an average of 738 sufferers in hospital every day last week.

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS chief for England, said the figures were a “stark reminder of the elevated pressures the NHS is seeing this winter”.

He said cases of norovirus are “significantly higher than last year, as well as other seasonal illnesses impacting demand for beds”.