What is Norovirus and its Symptoms?
Norovirus is sometimes called the stomach flu, but it is not related to the influenza virus. Instead, it is a highly contagious virus that commonly causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. A slight fever and body aches are also possible.
Some virus particles are enough to make someone sick, and they spread easily through hands, surfaces, food, and water. An infected person can transmit the virus for days after they feel better, possibly up to two weeks, according to the CDC.
Regionally, the Midwest had the highest positive rate for norovirus testing on Saturday, at more than 19% — higher than any other week in the past year.
The agency tracks norovirus outbreaks through a network of 14 state health departments. Although the network’s data is lagging, its latest tally says the state health department reported 25 outbreaks as of the first week of January, the most since May. Between August and early January, a total of 225 norovirus outbreaks were reported to the CDC, compared to 172 during the same period last season.
The highly contagious virus’ symptoms typically include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain
“Norovirus outbreaks and cases reported by state health departments and clinical laboratories are increasing but remain within the expected range for this time of year,” said CDC spokeswoman Kate Grosich.
“It is likely that the prevention measures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic were effective in preventing the outbreak of the Norovirus. With the easing of restrictions on the pandemic, the number of norovirus outbreaks has returned to levels similar to the pre-pandemic years,” she added.
This virus is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the country. Food can be contaminated if fruits or vegetables are grown or washed in contaminated water. Oysters also pose a risk if harvested from contaminated waters. In December, an outbreak in several states was linked to raw Texas oysters, with nearly 300 reported cases of norovirus.
Most outbreaks in the United States occur between November and April. On average, the country records about 20 million cases annually, with nearly 110,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths, mainly among people over 65.
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There is no cure for this virus, but the CDC recommends drinking plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. The disease usually goes away within a few days.
In England, rates of norovirus are exceptionally high, according to the UK’s Health Security Agency. At the end of January, laboratory reports of norovirus were 66% higher than the average for the five seasons leading up to the Covid pandemic. The agency primarily attributes the increase to higher reporting among people 65 and older.
