Winter vomiting bug hits 500,000 a week as swamped NHS cancels operations and shuts wards



Spreading: Hospitals are suffering staff shortages as doctors and nurses fall to the virus (file photo)

A stomach bug that has claimed up to 500,000 victims is putting the NHS under massive strain.

Hospitals closed more than 140 wards over the weekend in a bid to contain norovirus, the winter vomiting bug.

NHS trusts, already struggling with the aftermath of the Big Freeze, have had to cancel operations and ban visitors.

Some parts of Britain have seen record outbreaks of norovirus - a deeply unpleasant infection that causes violent stomach upsets.

Scientists fear cases will rise further over the next few weeks as normal life resumes after the freeze.



Dr Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'It seems incredibly serious. We know it peaks twice a year and it looks like we are in the middle of a second serious peak in a few months that could be affecting up to half a million people.

'We can only estimate the figures because most cases go unreported.'



Experts say that for every case in hospital there are hundreds more in the community.



Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of microbiology at Aberdeen University, said: 'It does seem a very bad year.

'For most people it's a short illness that lasts for two to four days.



'Although it's very unpleasant, the vast majority will get better without any treatment. The worry is for the elderly and those with pre-existing health problems.'



Unpleasant: The norovirus is characterised by a number of symptoms - the first is nausea, followed by uncontrollable projectile vomiting

He added: 'The difference between norovirus and other viruses is that it hangs around and it's very difficult to get rid of. You have to deep-clean wards before you can let patients back. It is definitely putting a strain on the NHS.'

The outbreaks are forcing hospitals to delay discretionary operations such as hip and knee surgery. There were already backlogs in many places after postponements caused by the icy weather.

Hospitals are also suffering staff shortages as doctors and nurses catch the virus.



When a ward is closed, it means no patients can be transferred from or into it and visitors are banned.

A marked rise in norovirus cases was seen in November and there now appears to be a second surge.



In the whole of January 2009 there were just 46 ward closures in England for the bug. But at least 141 have been shut in the last two days alone - more than in the whole of last month.

Worry: Professor Hugh Pennington said that it seemed like 'a very bad year' for the virus

London has seen record levels of the disease, with 58 confirmed outbreaks this month against 35 in the same period last year.

King's College Hospital had four adult wards and one paediatric ward closed over the weekend. Spokesman Mark Graver said: 'We are doing everything we can, but it's very difficult to contain because its highly infectious. As soon as someone vomits the spores go everywhere and they live for months.

'We don't reopen a ward until it has been given a deep clean and until the very last person has been given the all-clear from the bug for 72 hours.'



Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust has five wards closed at two hospitals.



'It's particularly virulent this year,' said a spokesman. 'It's not just hospitals but also schools and nursing homes.'

The largest number of ward closures, ten, was at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Hospitals across the country are shutting their doors to visitors to limit the spread of the virus. Family members are allowed on-site only to collect patients or if they can prove exceptional circumstances.

Professor Giuseppe Cornaglia, former president of the European Society of Clinical Microbiologists and Infectious Diseases, stressed the importance of infection control.

He said: 'It is extremely important to educate clinicians. Many think infection control only concerns bacterial infections such as MRSA. In fact, viral infections can be far more dangerous.'

But the Department of Health played down the problem, saying: 'Norovirus is not new, it is not a "superbug" and the vast majority of people recover with no long-term effects.



'The NHS deals effectively with norovirus outbreaks all year round and this year is no different.'



The Health Protection Agency said it was too soon to confirm a sharp rise in cases in January.