The Health Protection Agency has claimed that more than 750,000 could be affected by an outbreak of norovirus this winter.

So far there have been 2630 confirmed reports of the illness but the agency suggests for every reported case there are approximately 288 unreported people suffering.  The numbers stack up to a 72 per cent increase in the illness so far this season.

John Harris, an expert in norovirus at the HPA, said: “People should be vigilant in their hygiene … Having a norovirus infection is very unpleasant but it is short-lived and most people will fully recover in a couple of days”.