In a follow-up to the norovirus outbreak at the World Athletics Championships in London, Public Health England (PHE) London deputy director for health protection, Dr Deborah Turbitt gave the following update today:
PHE has been notified of a confirmed outbreak of norovirus among people associated with the World Athletics Championships.
We have so far been made aware of approximately 40 people reporting illness and 3 of these cases have been confirmed as norovirus by laboratory testing.
PHE has been working closely with the London 2017 organisers and venues to provide infection control advice to limit the spread of illness.
Norovirus is a highly contagious viral illness that often goes by other names, such as viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu, and food poisoning.
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The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people additionally have a low-grade fever, chills,headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness often begins suddenly, and the infected person may feel very sick. In most people, the illness is self-limiting with symptoms lasting for about 1 or 2 days. In general, children experience more vomiting than adults do.
Norovirus is spread person to person particularly in crowded, closed places. Norovirus is typically spread through contaminated food and water, touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then putting your hand or fingers in your mouth and close contact with someone who is vomiting or has diarrhea.
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