Winter pressures are already mounting on NHS staff ahead of December, with high levels of demand in hospitals due to a significant increase in cases of
norovirus infection.
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus which spreads through contaminated food, water or surfaces and causes vomiting and diarrhea.
New NHS figures revealed that an average of 351 people were hospitalised with diarrhoea and vomiting symptoms every day last week in England, almost triple the
number during the same period last winter, which was 126.
The number of children in hospital with the virus was also higher last week (13) compared the same week last year (an average of just three), according to the
weekly winter update published by the health service on 30 November.