Norovirus: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments | wealth
Cases of “tripledemic” viruses like the flu, RSV and COVID appear to be staying stable or falling in many parts of the US, but rates of another miserable — and potentially dangerous — virus are rising.
RSV and flu started “early and swiftly” this winter season, says Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee Wealth. “Now we have other winter viruses — including norovirus, a dominant gut virus — spreading this season as well.”
Norovirus cases are increasing in various areas of the US and the world, including Europe and Canada, and the pathogen is making headlines. The virus recently sickened nearly 500 people on two US-based cruise ships and is once again responsible for countless school closures. A Detroit-area school principal described a “frequent incidence of students throwing up” on a recent school day, resulting in the cancellation of classes from Feb. 9 through Valentine’s Day.
While the virus is likely to spike sharply over the winter, this year’s season has been particularly robust so far, experts say Wealth.
Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself from the common winter threat known for sickening entire families at once.
What is norovirus and how is it spread?
Often confused with the stomach flu, norovirus “spreads with remarkable ease,” says Schaffner Wealth. Its nicknames include “winter vomiting disease” and “cruise ship virus” because it spreads easily among people in confined spaces, he adds.
The disease usually spreads from person to person through “faecal-oral” transmission. You can get infected by eating contaminated food or water, or by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your mouth.
It takes a very small amount of virus to get sick – so small even a microscope can’t see them. Because it’s transmitted primarily through fecal particles invisible to the naked eye, it’s easy to unknowingly spread and contract the disease — for example, if you don’t wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet or changing a baby’s diaper. “It doesn’t take much to make people pretty sick,” says Dr. Georges Benjamin, head of the American Public Health Association Wealth. “That’s the main reason why it’s so contagious.”
If you’re near someone who’s vomiting the projectile, “you can actually get infected via aerosols,” Schaffner adds.
What are the symptoms of norovirus?
Common symptoms are:
- Diarrhea
- Vomit
- nausea
- stomach pain
Symptoms are associated with gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the stomach or intestines, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other symptoms can include fever, headache and body aches.
Symptoms usually appear within 12 to 48 hours after exposure and last for one to three days, according to the CDC. Because norovirus can cause repeated vomiting and diarrhea, “the biggest risk is becoming very dehydrated,” advises Benjamin — especially in the young, elderly, and people with other medical conditions.
Why is norovirus circulating right now?
Norovirus is a common winter virus, although it has also been known to circulate at other times of the year at gatherings, such as spring or summer weddings and cruise ship cruises.
Typically, however, norovirus is seen from November to March, said Dr. Ali Alhassani, clinical director at Summer Health and pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital Wealth.
“We’re starting to see slightly higher activity than usual and also a bit early,” says Alhassani, adding that the virus is on the rise and may be nearing a peak in the US
Summer Health, a subscription-based pediatric service that can be accessed via SMS, has seen a 13 percent increase in visits for gastrointestinal symptoms over the past two months, adding, “We definitely see that as a possibility large pattern in children across the US”
Pathogens like influenza, RSV and norovirus are expected to be more common after the general lifting of pandemic restrictions, experts say.
“We’re going to see more and more infectious diseases being transmitted, especially in large groups, and norovirus is an example of that,” says Benjamin. “Remember, we’re basically assuming almost no cases [during COVID lockdowns] to a number of cases of anything,” whether it be RSV or flu earlier this year or norovirus now.
“We’re back on the road sharing germs.”
What’s the best way to protect yourself and your family from norovirus?
The best advice, experts said Wealth: Wash your hands frequently and stay away from other sick people.
dr Alice Pong, clinical medical director for infectious diseases at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, advises adults to take extra care when washing their hands before eating – and to have their children do the same. Increased caution is required as norovirus can be transmitted through doorknobs, shopping carts, light switches and other common surfaces.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers don’t work well on some viruses, including norovirus. So skip the hand sanitizer to actually wash your hands, she advises.
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