'Red flag' symptom of virus sweeping UK which means 'don't go to work for 48 hours'

James Rodger

18 May 2024 at 3:26 pm·2-min read

A "red flag" symptom which means you SHOULDN'T go to work or school for 48 hours has been revealed. As a horrid, winter vomiting bug sweeps the UK, with thousands of cases of Norovirus being recorded, NHS experts have spoken out.

“Apart from the risk of dehydration, norovirus is not generally dangerous and there are usually no long-lasting effects,” states the NHS. “The symptoms of dehydration include being thirsty, dizziness, dark urine, and dry mouth, eyes and lips.”

It adds: "If you have severe dehydration get medical help again as soon as possible. (The symptoms of severe dehydration include severe thirst, dry, wrinkled skin, sunken eyes and not being able to pass urine.)"

Dr David Allen, an associate professor in virology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told MailOnline the 'unseasonal rise' in cases 'is an interesting and important observation'. He added: "Norovirus is a diverse group of viruses with many different types.

"People can get norovirus many times because infection with one type of norovirus may not protect against the other types, and protective immunity after infection may not be long-lasting." He said: "There is a lot we still do not understand about how people respond to norovirus infection and how responses to one type of norovirus relate to others.

"Other important factors are that we still do not fully understand the ongoing changes to the epidemiology of norovirus following the Covid pandemic. Changes in sampling, testing and reporting patterns to national surveillance systems can influence data in ways that are hard to monitor."

UKHSA chiefs received 1,237 lab-confirmed reports in England in April, according to the latest figures. Amy Douglas, Norovirus Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: "If you have got diarrhoea and vomiting, you can take steps to avoid passing the infection on. 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."

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