New norovirus alert: Health chiefs order Brits to stay home for 2 days if they've got vomiting bug to contain new ultra-infectious variant READ MORE: Warning against taking common pain remedy to combat norovirus By EMILY STEARN, SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER FOR MAILONLINE Published: 11:21, 7 November 2024 | Updated: 11:36, 7 November 2024 e-mail View comments Brits were today warned of an upsurge in highly contagious norovirus cases. Rates of the winter vomiting bug, which can also cause diarrhoea, are up almost a fifth in just a fortnight, fresh figures show. It means cases for this time of year in England and Wales are more than double the levels seen pre-Covid.

Health chiefs blamed the rise on the recent spell of cold weather and warned people not to work for at least 48 hours after symptoms end. Experts also said a variant dubbed 'Kawasaki', first spotted in Japan , now accounts for almost 70 per cent of all cases. According to figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), there were 447 confirmed cases of the bug between October 14 and 27.

This is 16 per cent higher than the 384 reported in the previous fortnight. Since the start of the 2024/2025 season, the number of norovirus outbreaks reported in hospital settings is also 26 per cent higher than the five-year average. Norovirus can appear similar the symptoms of Covid, with both viruses causing chills, fever and headaches According to figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), there were 447 con.