Winter vomiting victims are being warned to keep away from hospitals, care homes or their GP surgery.

Instead, say health bosses, if they start experiencing the symptoms of the norovirus bug they should stay at home and telephone NHS 111 for advice.

The advice has been issued by Public Health England ahead of the 'winter vomiting season' which affects around three million people every year.

The symptoms of norovirus are very distinctive – people often report a sudden onset of nausea, followed by projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea. Some people also experience headaches, mild temperature and stomach cramps.

There is no treatment for the virus but it is important to keep hydrated to combat the loss of fluids.

Most people will recover within a few days and there are no long-term effects.

The illness is highly infectious and great care needs to be taken to prevent its spread. When introduced to hospitals, residential care homes and other establishments where people live or work together in close proximity it can have major consequences such as the closure of hospital wards to new admissions, NHS staff going off work sick and patient appointments being postponed.

Dr Sarah Harrison, deputy director of health protection for the Devon, Cornwall and Somerset Public Health England Centre said: 'Outbreaks of norovirus infection are common as winter approaches.

'However, the impact on individuals and care settings, such as hospitals and residential care homes, can be limited to some extent, with simple actions.

'In hospitals, it is necessary to isolate individual cases and partial closures of wards are common as measures are taken to contain the infection and stop it spreading.

'There are also things that people can do to protect themselves and others from catching norovirus infection.

'Thorough hand washing and careful cleaning after someone has been ill are essential.

'Social occasions should also be avoided until at least 48 hours after someone has recovered from the illness.'