Noro virus - University College London Hospitals

Publication date: March 2008
Last review date: December 2013
Next review date: December 2015
Leaflet code:
UCLH/MB/INF/IC/NORO/2
Re-order code:
UCLH0288
© University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Unique Code: 28939
• Staff and visitors should wash their hands
with soap and water before and after being
with a patient with norovirus infection or
their surroundings.
• Cleaning of ward areas and the toilets is
increased. This will help remove the virus
from the environment and decrease the risk
of infection in others.
• If a patient or visitor has a bout of diarrhoea
or vomiting anywhere in the hospital please
mention this to the staff in charge, as we
will give the toilets an extra clean.
• Visiting may be restricted. Visitors to a ward
where there are cases on norovirus, are
at risk of catching the infection. Norovirus
is very infectious and may spread despite
measures. Children, frail or elderly should
avoid visiting if possible.
• Visitors are asked not to visit if they or other
members of their household have had
diarrhoea and/or vomiting within the past
48 hours. They should delay coming into
hospital until they are better.
• If possible, the patient will not be moved
to another ward, hospital or clinic until the
infection has cleared up.
Treating it
There is no specific treatment for norovirus.
The illness generally gets better on its own
after two days. Antibiotics do not work because
they kill bacteria not viruses. It is important to
drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
There is no vaccine to prevent the infection.
Leaving hospital after norovirus
A patient with norovirus infection will generally
not be discharged from hospital until the
diarrhoea has resolved completely. If there is
a recurrence of diarrhoea a patient should see
their general practitioner.
For further information
Please contact the Infection Control Team
on: 0845 155 5000 extension 79716.
Or you can go to the following websites:
The Department of Health
Website:
www.dh.gov.uk/hcai
The Health Protection Agency
Website:
www.hpa.org.uk
NHS Direct
Website:
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
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on the number above.
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Norovirus

Brief facts
• Norovirus causes vomiting and diarrhoea.
• It is sometimes called ‘winter vomiting
disease’.
• The virus is very easily spread by contact with
infected vomit or diarrhoea; or by touching
surfaces or objects which are contaminated
with the virus, or by consuming food or drink
which has been contaminated with the virus.
• Outbreaks of norovirus are common in
places such as nursing homes and hospitals.
• Handwashing with soap and water and
isolation are important for preventing
the spread.
• Norovirus is rarely serious.
The main symptoms are:
• nausea and vomiting
(often sudden and severe)
• diarrhoea
• stomach cramps.
Some people may also have:
• a fever (a high temperature)
• headache
• muscle aches
• tiredness.
Although unpleasant it is rarely dangerous.
Most people start feeling ill within a day or two
of catching it. Usually symptoms last for one to
two days and most people make a full and
speedy recovery. There are no long-term
effects from norovirus infection.
How it spreads
Norovirus is very infectious. It can spread
very easily and quickly from one person to
another. The infection can be spread from
the moment a person fi rst feels ill, until two
days after they feel better. Someone with a
norovirus infection remains infectious for up
to 48 hours after the symptoms have ended.
Infection can spread easily in areas where
there are large numbers of peoples such as
hospitals, nursing homes, schools and cruise
ships. In hospitals it can affect patients, staff
and visitors.
The virus is passed on in an infected
person’s vomit or diarrhoea. So it can be
caught in a number of ways:
Preventing the spread of norovirus
When there are high levels of this infection
in the community, it is very difficult to prevent
patients, staff and visitors bringing the infection
into hospital. The virus spreads quickly and
easily and not all infections can be prevented.
Norovirus can disturb the normal working of the
hospital and causes distress to those infected
and their friends and families. Particular
attention to good hygiene measures should be
observed during outbreaks.
Several measures will be taken to prevent
the spread:
• Patients with norovirus are isolated. This
is to prevent other patients, visitors or
staff becoming infected. A patient may be
looked after in a single room.
• There are no medicines to treat norovirus.
Healthy people get better within a couple of
days, frail, elderly or ill people may
take longer.
About norovirus
Norovirus is the most common cause of
infectious gastroenteritis (diarrhoea and
vomiting) in England and Wales. It is estimated
that norovirus affects between 600,000 and
a million people in the UK each year. There
is usually a peak of norovirus infection during
the winter months and it has been called the
“winter vomiting disease”.
Patients at risk
Norovirus infection affects people of all ages.
The very young and elderly should take
extra care if infected, as dehydration is more
common in these age groups and may need
hospital treatment. People do not become
immune to Norovirus and may have it many
times in their lifetime.
Testing for it
In hospital any patient who becomes ill with
diarrhoea or diarrhoea and vomiting will
have a sample of diarrhoea sent to a
laboratory for testing. It usually takes one to
three working days to get the results.
By being with an infected person. This can
happen if you are looking after someone who
is ill. So patients, nurses, carers and parents
are particularly at risk. You can also catch it
by sharing, for example, food or cutlery.
By eating contaminated food. You can catch
the infection by eating or drinking something
with the virus in it.
By touching surfaces or objects that have the
virus on them. You can get the virus on your
hands (and not see it) by touching, for
instance, a cup or toilet used by an infected
person. Then, by touching your mouth, the
virus can spread into your body.
• If a number of patients are ill at the same
time, they may be looked after together in
one part of the ward.
• If a large number of patients are affected
the ward may even be closed to new
patients until the infection has cleared up.
• If a patient has norovirus infection it may
be necessary to delay some planned
investigations or operations until they are
feeling better.
• Alcohol hand gel has limited effect on
norovirus therefore hands must be washed
with soap and water.