Many wards closed by vomiting bug

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: BBC

More than 100 hospital wards across the UK have been closed to new patients in a bid to slow the spread of the vomiting bug norovirus.

Doctors estimate that more than 100,000 people a week are catching the bug.

One hospital trust has cancelled non-urgent operations and others are trying to discourage visitors in case they bring in the virus.

People struck down by norovirus have been urged not to go back to work until the symptoms have fully disappeared.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7170948.stm

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This "winter vomiting bug" doesn't sound particularly dangerous for most people, but it doesn't sound like fun either. It certainly seems to be sweeping the UK right now.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. A vomiting bug?

Does it leave little tiny pools of bug puke all over? Or does it hurl into its little tiny toilet?

[Olney Blue]

2. LOL

[DemBones DemBones]

3. I pictured people fleeing in terror from a giant vomiting beetle.

That's what happens when you read Kafka's Metamorphosis at an early age!

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Hmm ... no confusion with the "Bombardier beetle"?

Oh, wait, he's facing the wrong way ... never mind.

[damntexdem]

4. I'm sure that a vomiting bug is easy to catch.

The poor thing probably can't run very fast while up-chucking.

[BadgerKid]

6. How much upchuck

would a bug chuck up, if a bug could chuck upchuck up?

[donsu]

8. lol good one

nt

[Javaman]

7. I'm so glad it wasn't the colossal squirting shits bug. Now that would be bad. nt

[L0oniX]

9. Same thing happens on the cruise ships in Florida all the time.

I'll never go on one of those cruises.

[GoldenOldie]

10. Norovirus = projectile vomiting and diarrhea

Don't be to quick to laugh this virus off. Three had it in my family last winter. My 67-yo sister who was already battling pulmonary fibrosis, my SO. I thought I had been passed by until 4-weeks later, I began projectile vomiting just before bedtime. It was unlike any virus/flu that I had ever had. I didn't feel sick, just opened my mouth and let it project. As it began just before bedtime, I placed a container beside the bed, just in case, I couldn't make it. I do not remember rising and going to the bathroom but I awoke lying on my bathroom floor with a fractured skull. I spent the next 3-days in ICU for observation of a brain bleed. It has taken 1-year to get over the fractured head and all the side affects. My sister was not so fortunate. The Norovirus depleted any strength she had left and she died soon after her 2nd go-round of it soon after mine.

It is to be taken seriously for elders, those with a compromised medical problem, etc. We had never heard of it nor was there any local news on the circulation, until after the fact. My SO just informed me that he just heard on the news that a well-known, resort type, re-hab facility in this area has reported a breakout of Norovirus.

[lovuian]

11. it put me in the ER I have never ever been sick like that

it was pretty scary otherwise I'm healthy

its out there
it makes you wonder if these cruise ships were testing grounds for this stuff

[momster]

13. I've been on Three Cruises

On one some people did get sick. The ship took precautions like closing down the spa. A lot of people complained but it's better than getting sick...though the ones who did get sick wound up with a free cruise so maybe that's why people complained? The other two cruises did things like not letting people into the dining room without a shot of hand cleaner and steam-cleaning the public bathrooms every day. No illnesses on either ship except from overeating and overheating.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

12. Bugger me!

My auntie had her surgery cancelled because of this little fucker.

[MilesColtrane]

14. Holy crap.

I think I saw one of those things in "Starship Troopers".

[electron_blue]

15. oh mi god. I had this 5 yrs ago and it nearly killed me. Norovirus can be

dangerous. I was lucky in that I fainted and started showing violent symptoms of it while I was actually in a hospital room (for my daughter who was being admitted for dehdration) and was rushed to the e.r. for treatment right away. This crap scares me. Stay safe UK'ers. At my followup appt my doctor said his friend just went through it and lost 70 lbs with it. Me, I lost 7 lbs in just 12 hours of projectile everything, plus fainting twice and seizures. Scary crap.

Note to self: wash hands extra much and get hand sanitizer out for crowds.

[Ilsa]

16. I was listening to a London radio station online and they were discussing this.

If you are looking a little green around the gills and try to go to work, your coworkers get pretty irate, from what they said on the radio.

Nasty virus. Could put people at risk for dehydration, and that can affect people with other chronic health issues.