The government has warned there has been a spike in cases of norovirus - otherwise known as the vomiting bug.
It comes after routine surveillance has revealed the number of cases of the bug in England has risen in the four-week period from the end of January to February.
Educational settings, particularly nursery and childcare facilities have been hit particularly hard, with 48 per cent more incidents reported to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) than would be expected.
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Reports of norovirus outbreaks in care home settings have also increased, with a rise from 24 reported in the first week of February, to 40 reported the following week.
While outbreaks reported in care home settings overall remain below pre-pandemic expected levels, it is likely they will continue to increase in the coming weeks. According to the UKHSA, a rise in norovirus outbreaks in care home settings often precedes an increase in outbreaks in hospital settings.
Norovirus symptoms
According to the NHS, the main symptoms of norovirus are:
- feeling sick (nausea)
- diarrhoea
- being sick (vomiting)
Some people also experience a high temperature, a headache or aching arms and legs.
The symptoms start suddenly within one to two days of being infected, the NHS says.
Norovirus is more commonly known as the vomiting bug due to the severe nausea and projectile vomiting it causes in most cases.
Professor Saheer Gharbia, Gastrointestinal Pathogens and Food Safety Directorate, UKHSA, said: "Norovirus, commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, has been at lower levels than normal throughout the pandemic but as people have begun to mix more, the numbers of outbreaks have started to increase again.
"Symptoms include sudden onset of nausea, projectile vomiting and diarrhoea but can also include a high temperature, abdominal pain and aching limbs. Stay at home if you are experiencing norovirus symptoms and do not return to work or send children to school or nursery until 48 hours after symptoms have cleared.
"Please avoid visiting elderly relatives if you are unwell – particularly if they are in a care home or hospital. As with COVID-19 and other infectious illnesses, hand washing is really important to help stop the spread of this bug, but remember, unlike for COVID-19 alcohol gels do not kill off norovirus so soap and water is best."
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