Health News: Outraged parents of children studying in a UK school have claimed that their children were vomiting on each other after the outbreak of a brutal sickness bug that hit the students. UK daily ‘The Mirror’ reports that an outbreak at Telscombe Cliffs Academy near Brighton left children sick and vomiting over each other. 


Parents of these schoolkids have alleged a lack of communication from the school, and demanded that classrooms or the school itself be shut for deep cleaning.


One furious mother, who did not wish to be named, told Mirror that children have been vomiting in classrooms, on each other and were left with sick bowls "Despite this school has still not been closed for deep cleaning. This is a serious outbreak,” she alleged.


What Is Norovirus?


Norovirus is a highly contagious virus known for causing symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Often referred to as the "stomach flu" or "stomach bug", it is not related to the flu, which is caused by the influenza virus. Norovirus leads to acute gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach or intestines.


While most individuals recover from norovirus within 1 to 3 days, they can continue to spread the virus for several days after their symptoms resolve.


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Norovirus In India: Should We Worry?


Norovirus outbreaks are rare in India but not completely unheard of. A recent report by the ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology and the Health Services, Kerala, published in December 2024 states that the team investigated reports of two norovirus related gastroenteritis outbreaks in Kerala in 2021. 


According to the report, investigation of "two acute gastroenteritis outbreaks due to norovirus in southern India" was conducted by officers from the India-Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS), a fellowship programme in field epidemiology.


The first outbreak was reported in Kerala's coastal district Alappuzha in June-July 2021. As total of 772 suspected norovirus cases were reported, "with an attack rate of 3 per 1000 population", the study noted. 


The second outbreak occurred in the Wayanad district, in a university with 500 students and 100 staff, with most students staying in hostels.


The report's findings concluded that those who drank inadequately boiled water had a 2.6 times higher risk of infection. In addition, students who washed their hands without soap, and those who had a roommate with symptoms had a higher risk of developing infection.


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Precautions To Prevent Norovirus Attack And Spread


According to the CDC, Norovirus is very contagious, but one can take steps to stop it from spreading.


Precautions to take to prevent spread of Norovirus gastroenteritis infection:



  • Wash hands properly with soap under running water, especially after using the toilet or changing diapers.

  • Wash your hands well before eating, preparing, or handling food.

  • Wash hands before giving yourself or someone else medicine.

  • Don't rely on hand sanitiser alone as it does not work well against norovirus. You can use hand sanitisers in addition to hand washing as an additional measure, though.

  • Do not prepare, handle food, or care for others when you are sick.

  • Carefully wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly and with clean water.

  • Cook vegetarian and non-vegetarian food to their prescribed temperatures. Infected food does not have to emanate bad smell, therefore know that you cannot tell if it is contaminated by norovirus purely by smelling food.

  • Routinely clean and sanitise kitchen utensils, cutting boards, counters, and surfaces – especially the ones used for chopping salads, or those used for chopping meat etc.

  • Do not consume food that has not been cooked well, or drink water/fluids that have not been sterilised. Norovirus is a sturdy strain and just quick steaming processes will not heat foods enough to kill noroviruses.

  • Dispose the food that you suspect of being contaminated with norovirus.


What Is The Norovirus Infection Window Period?


Pathological lab technicians can track norovirus in the patient’s vomit or faeces (poop) even before one starts feeling sick. The virus can also stay in the infected person’s faeces for two weeks or more after he or she begins to feel better. One can still spread norovirus during that time. 


The author is an independent journalist.