AN ABNORMAL number of islanders have been ill this winter.

The Health and Social Security Department’s deputy medical officer, Dr Brian Parkin (pictured), said that although it was usual for more people to become poorly at this time of year, the current situation was above average.

‘We are getting a lot of people with flu or flu-like illnesses and there is a diarrhoea and vomiting bug around too,’ he said.

‘There is more of it about than last year, higher than the usual,’ he said. He thought this would affect businesses because many staff members were taking time off. Most employers are probably experiencing it – if everyone with minor symptoms was taking time off there would probably be nobody at work now.’

So far, he had not seen many people become seriously ill from the viruses.

‘There are always a few who go on to get secondary infections, which is one of the reasons we recommend flu jabs for people at higher risk – like the elderly or those with ongoing health problems such as diabetes.’

Most patients are taking a few days to get better, he said.