PATIENTS suffering from the ‘winter vomiting virus’ are being urged not to attend GP surgeries or hospitals.

Senior doctors are advising people to recuperate at home and stay off work or school until free of symptoms of 48 hours.

Last year East Lancashire hospitals were hit hard by a severe outbreak of the virus which forced them to cancel dozens of operations.

But health chiefs people recovered from the virus naturally without any treatment.

The public health director for NHS East Lancashire Dr Ellis Friedman said: “We wouldn’t want people to be struck down in the run-up to Christmas and New Year, let alone during the festive season itself.

"So we’re giving local residents some advice to help them avoid the possibility.”

Dr Kenneth Lamden, a health consultant with the HPA’s Cumbria and Lancashire Health Protection Unit, added: “We know that community outbreaks can occur at anytime and we want people to have the information they need to protect themselves and others from this infection before they are faced with it.”

“Our advice is that there is no need for anyone with winter vomiting to go to their GP surgery or their hospital A&E or urgent care unit, where they would risk spreading infection to more vulnerable patients.

“They should stay at home, ensure that their personal hygiene is good, particularly hand-washing, and avoid contact with others where possible.

“If symptoms persist for more than 60 hours, or if the patient suspects that norovirus infection may not be the cause of the symptoms, the patient should seek a telephone consultation with the family doctor or phone NHS Direct.”

The doctors said that the norovirus illness was short-lived with its symptoms of vomiting, fever and sometimes diarrhoea.

The majority of people, even the frail elderly, recovered in 12 to 60 hours without treatment, other than rest and the replacement of fluids.