People with asthma have been warned that a surge in norovirus could make their symptoms worse this winter. Latest NHS figures show an average of 950 people were in hospital with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms in late January, up by 15% week-on-week. Helen Sinton, head of services at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “The continuing high numbers of norovirus don’t just put the NHS under ongoing and repeated strain but can also be a worry for people with asthma.
“While norovirus is not a respiratory condition, it can have an impact on people with asthma, as any acute illness can worsen asthma symptoms, such as breathlessness and wheezing. Repeated vomiting can increase coughing and may trigger bronchospasm — the sudden tightening of the muscles lining the airways of the lungs, which causes them to narrow, making breathing harder.”
Common symptoms of norovirus include feeling and being sick, diarrhoea, a high temperature, headache, tummy pain and body aches and pains, according to the NHS website.
Ms Sinton added: “Dehydration from vomiting and diarrhoea can also make secretions such as mucus or saliva thicker and contribute to chest tightness or breathlessness, which could be dangerous for those with asthma.
“Being unwell and dehydrated can generally affect how well people manage their asthma day to day, including inhaler use, and if oral medications can’t be kept down, this might also put someone at greater risk of an asthma attack.”
Around 7.2 million people in the UK have asthma. Ms Sinton urged anyone with asthma who contracts norovirus to continue using their preventer inhaler regularly, along with other prescribed medications, and carry their reliever inhaler in case symptoms worsen.
She added: “Stay well hydrated with regular sips of water throughout the day and make sure you follow your asthma action plan.
“If your symptoms are getting worse, make an urgent appointment to see your GP and if you are struggling to breathe always dial 999 as this is a medical emergency.”
The latest weekly snapshot of the performance of hospitals in England this winter also showed the number of people in hospital with flu had fallen to its lowest level for nearly two months.
An average of 1,987 flu patients were in the hospital each day during the week ending January 25, down 21% from 2,519 the previous week.
It was the lowest number since the week ending November 30, when the figure stood at 1,717. The total had climbed as high as 3,140 in the week to December 14.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
