Office Cleaning Forest of Dean companies such as intocleaning.co.uk/services/office-cleaning-gloucestershire/office-cleaning-forest-of-dean is used to ensure that workplaces are clean and hygienic. This is important not only to help the health of the employees, but it also helps to prevent high instances of sickness absence, which can have an impact on productivity and ultimately on sales and profits.
In the UK, norovirus is one of the most common stomach bugs that cause diarrhoea and vomiting in many people. Despite the fact that it can be caught at any time during the year, it is known as the ‘winter vomiting bug’ because it tends to be more prevalent during winter.
Although a norovirus infection can be very unpleasant, it usually clears up within a few days on its own.
There may be a sudden onset of signs and symptoms of a norovirus infection, and these include:
Feeling of nausea
Vomiting
Pain in the stomach or cramps in the stomach
Diarrhoea that is watery or loose in consistency
Having a feeling of being unwell
A low-grade fever may be present in some people.
As a rule, the signs and symptoms of a norovirus usually appear 12 to 48 hours after your first exposure, and they typically last between one and three days. However, there is a possibility that you will continue to shed a virus in your stool for several weeks after you have recovered.
Some people may not show any symptoms or signs of norovirus infection while they are infected. It is important to keep in mind, however, that they are still contagious and can spread the virus to other people.
Hospitals, nursing homes, and schools are some of the places in which Norovirus can spread very quickly.
Getting infected with this disease is as simple as ingesting small particles of vomit or stool (poo) from an infected person through the following:
- If you are in close contact with someone who is suffering from norovirus, it is possible that they may exhale small particles of the virus that you will then inhale
- When you touch a contaminated surface or object, you may get infected since the virus can survive outside your body for several days
- It is possible to become infected by eating contaminated food, which can happen if someone who is infected does not wash their hands before preparing or handling food.
Other bugs behind food poisoning
Norovirus is not the only infection to guard against where people share food, kitchens and surfaces. Salmonella causes a large number of illnesses each year, most of them linked to food. Symptoms are diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps, usually starting between six hours and six days after infection and lasting four to seven days. Most people recover without antibiotics, which are kept for severe cases or those at high risk, though some do need hospital care.
Campylobacter is mainly caught from raw or undercooked poultry, or from food that has touched it. It can also come from seafood, meat, produce, contact with animals or untreated water. It is rarely life threatening, although some people need antibiotics.
E. coli is found in the environment, in food and in animals’ intestines. Most strains are harmless, but some cause diarrhoea, and others can lead to urinary tract infections, pneumonia and respiratory illness. Good hygiene on surfaces and hands reduces the risk from all of them.
Other illnesses spread through poor food hygiene
Norovirus is not the only illness that careless food handling can pass on. Hepatitis A is a virus that affects the liver and spreads through contaminated food or water. Symptoms often appear around four weeks after infection and include tiredness, nausea, stomach pain and yellowing of the skin and eyes. It is rarely deadly, but it can take around six months to clear, and a vaccine is available for people at higher risk.
Salmonella is a bacterium behind many cases of food poisoning, causing fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain that usually last about a week. It grows faster in warm weather, which is a good reason not to leave food out of the fridge for long.
Most E. coli living in the gut is harmless, but the shiga toxin producing strain causes stomach cramps and diarrhoea, sometimes bloody. It is mainly passed on through undercooked meat, so cooking food thoroughly destroys it. Young children are most at risk.
Recovering from norovirus at home
Most people recover fully from norovirus without special treatment, but a few simple steps make it easier. Vomiting and diarrhoea dehydrate the body quickly, so drink plenty of fluids such as water, squash, fruit juice or an oral rehydration preparation. If you feel too ill to drink much, take frequent small sips. Paracetamol can ease aches and bring down a fever. There is no cure, so the aim is to rest and keep fluids up.
Because the virus is so infectious, stay at home for 48 hours after your symptoms stop, as you can still pass it on, and avoid preparing food for others during that time. It can survive on surfaces and towels for several days, so wash your hands often, wipe surfaces down and do not share towels.
Seek medical advice if symptoms last three days or more. Babies, young children and older people may struggle to stay hydrated and need closer watching, and they may need extra care and support to recover well.