To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nosocomial cases of small round-structured viruses there were in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority in each month in (i) 2002 and (ii) 2003 up to the latest date for which figures are available. [128901]
The Health Protection Agency has a voluntary reporting system for outbreaks of gastroenteritis, including those caused by norovirus (formerly known as small round structured virus, norwalk or norwalk-like virus). From 1 January 2002 to 31 March 2003, in England, there were there were 3691 outbreaks affecting 10,975 patients and staff.The number of cases by strategic health authority and by each month is not available. The table shows a regional breakdown of cases of norovirus infection in outbreaks in hospitals reported to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre of the Health Protection Agency from 1 January 2002 to 31 March 2003 in England.
1Outbreaks in England proven or suspected of being associated with norovirus.
Region 1
| Total cases in norovirus outbreaks 2
|
| Anglia and Oxford | 2,265 |
| North and West | 1,247 |
| North Thames | 1,454 |
| Northern and Yorkshire | 2,550 |
| South and West | 1,481 |
| South Thames | 294 |
| Trent | 341 |
| West Midlands | 1,343 |
| Total | 10,975 |
1 PHLS/NHS region.
2 Patients and staff.