Suspected and laboratory-confirmed reported norovirus outbreaks in hospitals: outbreaks occurring in weeks 1 to 4, 2018
Updated 25 January 2019
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The hospital norovirus outbreak reporting scheme (HNORS) recorded 48 outbreaks occurring between weeks 1 and 4, 2018, 47 of which (98 per cent) led to ward/bay closures or restriction to admissions and 36 (75 per cent) were recorded as laboratory-confirmed due to norovirus. Between week 1 (week beginning 1 January 2018) and week 4 (week beginning 22 December 2018) 48 outbreaks were reported. Ninety-eight per cent (47) of reported outbreaks resulted in ward/bay closures or restrictions to admissions and 75% (36) were laboratory-confirmed as due to norovirus.
Suspected and laboratory-confirmed reported norovirus outbreaks in hospitals, with regional breakdown: outbreaks occurring in weeks 1 to 4 of 2018
| Region/PHE Centre | Outbreaks between weeks 1 to 4/2018 | Total outbreaks weeks 2018 to date | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outbreaks | Ward/bay closure* | Lab-confirmed | Outbreaks | Ward/bay closure* | Lab-confirmed | |
| East of England | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| East Midlands | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| London | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | – |
| North East | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| North West | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| South East | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 2 |
| South West | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| West Midlands | 16 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 12 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 48 | 47 | 36 | 48 | 47 | 36 |
* Note: not all outbreaks result in whole wards closures, some closures are restricted to bays only.
In the current season to date † (from week 27, 2017, to week 4, 2018), there were 711 laboratory reports of norovirus. This is 5% higher than the average number of laboratory reports for the same period in the seasons between 20013 and 2017 (676).
† The norovirus season runs from July to June (week 27 in year 1 to week 26 in year 2) in order to capture the winter peak in one season.
Note: The number of laboratory reports in the most recent weeks will increase as further reports are received.