Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show there have been 4,140 laboratory confirmed cases of norovirus this season (from week 27 to week 52 2012). The latest figures are 63 per cent higher than the number of cases reported at this point last year, when there were 2,535 cases.
The downward trend in the number of confirmed cases has continued in line with the previous report although this is to be expected following the Christmas and New Year period. We will expect to see the number of cases increase again over the following few weeks.
During the two weeks up to 6 January there were 33 hospital outbreaks reported, compared to 30 in the previous fortnight, bringing the total of outbreaks for the season to 673.
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