VANCOUVER – Outbreaks of the norovirus have people around B.C. retching, and there’s no sign that the spread of the nasty virus will slow down this winter.

Fraser Health Authority spokeswoman Tasleem Juma says people are getting sick because they don’t have any immunity to the new strain of the gastrointestinal virus that’s temporarily closed hospital wards.

Juma says enhanced cleaning protocols are being used in health-care facilities where the virus has struck and that officials expect it to continue making the rounds across the province.

Juma says the Sydney strain of the virus isn’t any worse than strains from previous years in terms of symptoms such as vomiting and stomach pain, which persist for up to 48 hours.

Officials say frequent hand washing is the best defence against the virus, and that the flu vaccine won’t prevent it.

Lisa Thibault (tee-bow) says her five-year-old daughter was among several people at a New Year’s Eve party who became ill and spent the next day vomiting before passing the virus on to her.