Norovirus cases stabilising but remain high

12 Feb 2026 04:28 PM

Weekly UKHSA report for the 2025/26 season, monitoring respiratory viruses.

This weekly bulletin brings together the latest surveillance data, along with the latest public health advice for flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other viruses.

Latest

The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency shows norovirus cases remain high but are now starting to stabilise. While respiratory viruses such as flu and RSV continue to fall and are at baseline and low levels respectively.

People are encouraged to continue taking simple steps to protect themselves from both gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses.

Washing hands regularly with warm soapy water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces where possible are simple steps people can take to protect themselves and reduce the spread of all these viruses. People should be aware that alcohol gels do not kill norovirus.

For respiratory viruses, indoor spaces should be well-ventilated and if you have symptoms you are advised to stay at home if possible and avoid visiting those more vulnerable, including older people, pregnant women and young babies. If you need to go out when you have respiratory symptoms, consider wearing a face mask. 

In the week between 2 and 8 February 2026:

• Influenza activity decreased and is circulating at baseline levels
• COVID-19 activity showed mixed trends and is circulating at baseline levels
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity decreased and is circulating at low levels 

The flu, COVID-19 and RSV surveillance report and the national norovirus and rotavirus surveillance reports: 2025 to 2026 season are published weekly.

Flu surveillance data for week 6 (2 – 8 February 2026): 

• Flu activity decreased and is circulating at baseline levels
• Flu positivity decreased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 3.9% compared with 5.5% in the previous week
• overall, flu hospitalisations decreased to 1.48 per 100,000 compared with 2.13 per 100,000 in the previous week

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) surveillance data for week 6 (2 – 8 February 2026):

• RSV activity decreased and is circulating at low levels
• RSV positivity remained stable at 4.5% compared with 4.8% in the previous week
• overall weekly hospital admission rate for RSV decreased to 1.18 per 100,000 compared with 1.68 per 100,000 in the previous week

COVID-19 surveillance data for week 6 (2 – 8 February 2026): 

• COVID-19 activity showed mixed trends and is circulating at baseline levels
• COVID-19 positivity increased with a weekly mean positivity rate of 2.5% compared with 2.1% in the previous week
• COVID-19 hospitalisations increased at 0.94 per 100,000 compared with 0.77 per 100,000 in the previous week
• COVID-19 ICU admissions remained low at 0.02 per 100,000 compared with 0.02 per 100,000 in the previous week 

Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:

We’re continuing to see cases of flu and RSV falling week after week, which is a really positive sign. While cases of COVID-19 are increasing, levels are still very low.

To ensure we continue on this downward trend, I encourage people to continue taking simple steps, such as regularly washing hands and ventilating rooms, to protect themselves and others, particularly those more vulnerable.

Norovirus surveillance data between weeks 5 and 6 of 2026 (26 January - 8 February 2026):

• Norovirus activity remains high but has stabilised in recent weeks - cases are high particularly in adults aged 65 years and over, though it has decreased in this age group in recent weeks
• overall, norovirus laboratory reports between weeks 5 and 6 of 2026 (26 January 2026 to 8 February 2026) were 45.9% higher than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period
• Rotavirus activity between weeks 5 and 6 of 2026 was 27.4% lower than the 5-season average for the same 2-week period
• the number of norovirus outbreaks reported to the Hospital Norovirus Outbreak Reporting System (HNORS) since the start of the 2025/2026 season is 20.7% lower than the 5-season average
• during the 2025/2026 season to date, the majority (86.3%) of samples characterised were norovirus genogroup 2 (GII) and the most frequently detected genotypes, GII.4 (37.5%) and GII.17(21.1%), have continued to co-circulate
• the timing of the typical seasonal increase and peak of norovirus activity varies from one season to the next - it is likely that multiple factors contributed to the high level of laboratory reports in recent weeks, including but not limited to co-circulation of multiple norovirus genotypes, weather conditions or changes in testing and reporting to national surveillance
• Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea but can also include a high temperature, abdominal pain and aching limbs - norovirus infections can cause dehydration, especially in vulnerable groups such as young children and older or immunocompromised people, so if you do get ill it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time

Amy Douglas, Lead Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:

Norovirus activity has remained high in recent weeks. We are seeing signs that the virus is  stabilising at these high levels, but we need to start seeing a decline if we are to reduce the impact that this virus has on our communities and health system. We are seeing the highest number of cases among individuals aged 65 years and over and outbreaks in hospital settings have increased too, so please remember the simple steps we can all take to stop norovirus spreading.

Wash your hands with soap and warm water and use bleach-based products to clean surfaces to help stop infections spreading. Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus so don’t rely on these alone.

If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, don’t return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped and don’t prepare food for others in that time either. If you are unwell, avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent passing on the infection to those most vulnerable.