CASES of the winter vomiting bug have risen by nearly 50% in the past year.

A total of 2016 laboratory reports of norovirus have been received by Health Protection Scotland during the first 44 weeks of 2012, a rise of 631 cases compared with the same period last year. For every laboratory case detected, an estimated 290 more are in the community, with up to 180,000 more Scots being struck by the bug so far this year. Chief medical officer Sir Harry Burns said the NHS was ready to cope.

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