A dangerous infection can spoil the New Year
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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New Year's holidays are waiting for everyone - from small to large, because this is a wonderful occasion to have fun, relax from workdays and celebrate the arrival of the New Year in the family circle or in the noisy company of friends.
However, even these bright moments can be overshadowed by infectious diseases, which quickly find a new master. According to Jan Clark, professor of molecular microbiology and virology at the University of Southampton, during the New Year holidays, infections spread very quickly, because people congratulate each other on the New Year, kiss and hug, which increases the risks of catching bacteria. Even after the symptoms of the disease subsided, and a person considers himself completely healthy, he can still be a source of infection and infect healthy people.
Researches of scientists show that not only they are concerned with this problem. People have already begun to stock up with antibacterial hand gel, sales of which have increased by 52% compared to last week.
Norovirus infection is the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea. The mechanism of transmission of microbes is oral-fecal, and the respiratory route is not excluded. Symptoms of the disease are nausea, weakness, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, pallor and symptoms of general intoxication of the body.
The patient's state of health returns to normal within a few hours or days. Norovirus infection is very contagious, because even the smallest dust particles with norovirus can provoke the disease. This disease is most dangerous for children and the elderly.
According to data published on Tuesday by the Health Protection Agency monitoring the spread of norovirus in the UK, the number of cases of poisoning provoked by norovirus this winter is significantly higher than last year's figures - this season they are up 72%. Compared to the same period of the previous year, when the number of laboratory confirmed cases was 1,533, this year this number increased to 2,630 cases. In addition, for every recorded case of an outbreak of the disease, there are approximately 288 unregistered. And this could mean that about 750,000 Britons may already have contracted the infection.
Despite the fact that the infection can reach a person not only in winter, but at any time of the year, during the winter season it is most common.
Despite the measures taken by the doctors, for example, relatives of patients are forbidden to visit them for at least 48 hours, the virus still spreads rapidly and the number of its victims only grows. Doctors say that many radical methods are not happy and express their indignation, odako this forced measure will help to contain the spread of infection.
Experts express extreme concern that the outbreak of the disease is just for the New Year and Christmas holidays, because in kindergartens and schools children will have matinees and festive events, which significantly increases the risk of infection with norovirus infection.
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