NHS health services warned on February 19, 2026, of a second surge in norovirus cases affecting Bootle and the wider Merseyside area, as hospital patient numbers reach their highest levels this winter. The warning follows a sharp rise in the number of people suffering from the vomiting bug, placing significant pressure on local medical facilities, including Aintree University Hospital.
According to NHS England, an average of 1,012 hospital beds were filled every day by patients with symptoms across the country in the week leading up to February 15, 2026. Regional health leaders had previously noted that hospital occupancy for the virus in the North West in late January was more than two-thirds higher than it was during the same period in 2025.
Medical directors are advising residents that alcohol-based hand gels do not kill the bug and that people should wash their hands with soap and water instead. Anyone with symptoms is asked to stay home from work or school for at least 48 hours after they stop feeling unwell to prevent the spread of the infection to others.
NHS England North West stated that the surge is putting extra pressure on health services across the region. To help ease this strain, households in Bootle are encouraged to use the NHS 111 service for advice rather than visiting a hospital for symptoms that are not an emergency.
