Cases of the 'winter vomiting bug', norovirus, have risen by a fifth in the past year and doubled in the past fortnight with 800 patients being struck down by the disease in hospitals in the last week.
Figures from the Health Protection Agency show that 35 outbreaks of the disease have been reported in the last week resulting in the closure of 27 wards as a precaution to prevent the spread of infection.
Since the start of July there have been a total of 295 outbreaks in hospitals resulting in 201 wards being closed.
The total number of cases in England for the same period is 1,607, an increase of 19% on the previous year when 1,350 were reported.
Officials say this only reflects a fraction of the total number of cases as many cases will not be reported. However, although the rates are soaring reports show the weekly rates are slightly lower than usual for the time of year.
Norovirus is highly infectious and is particularly prone to spreading in hospitals where there are a large number of patients, many of whom have weakened immune systems.
Symptoms of the bug include vomiting, diarrhea, high temperature, headaches and stomach cramps. These usually pass in a couple of days with no long-term damage but in vulnerable patients such as young children, the elderly and those with underlying health issues, the consequences can be fatal.
There is no treatment for the illness but the NHS recommends taking the following precautions to help prevent the virus spreading:
1. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet and before preparing food.
2. Do not share towels and flannels.
3. Disinfect any surfaces or objects that could be contaminated with the virus. Wash the items separately and on a hot wash to ensure that the virus is killed.
4. Keep the toilet and surrounding area clean and disinfected.
5. Avoid eating raw, unwashed produce and only eat oyster from a reliable source. Note that oysters are known to carry the virus.