{"id":344543,"date":"2025-12-14T11:24:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T11:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/344543\/"},"modified":"2025-12-14T11:24:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T11:24:11","slug":"how-to-prevent-norovirus-as-cases-surge-across-the-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/344543\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Prevent Norovirus As Cases Surge Across The Country"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stuffy noses and bothersome coughs aren\u2019t the only winter illness symptoms making the rounds right now. Lots of people are also getting sick with norovirus, an unpleasant stomach bug. The highly contagious virus is on the rise<\/a> in many states across the country<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What is norovirus? \u201cIt is our most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea, and actually food-borne illness in the United States,\u201d said Dr. Brintha Vasagar<\/a>, a family physician in Wisconsin.<\/p>\n

Those are the two most common symptoms, but fever, body aches and stomachaches<\/a> are sometimes reported, too.<\/p>\n

HuffPost Life delivers practical, reliable advice to navigate life\u2019s challenges and make informed decisions. Support journalism that empowers you \u2014 join our membership program today.<\/a><\/p>\n

We typically experience higher rates of norovirus \u201cfrom November to April, so we\u2019re still pretty early in this season,\u201d Vasagar added.<\/p>\n

Norovirus cases are currently elevated, but a little lower than where they were by this time last year, said Dr. Camile Gooden<\/a>, an internal medicine physician at NYU Langone Hospital\u2014Suffolk in New York. However, \u201cRecently, there has been a surge in norovirus … we\u2019re seeing more positive testing,\u201d Gooden added. This is due to a new strain of the virus.<\/p>\n

The virus spreads easily and in different ways than other winter viruses. Here\u2019s what to know:<\/p>\n

Norovirus spreads through vomit and fecal particles.<\/p>\n

While common winter illnesses such as the flu<\/a> and COVID-19 spread through coughs and sneezes, norovirus spreads differently.<\/p>\n

\u201cTraditionally, it\u2019s [spread through] what we call the fecal-oral route, so stool to mouth, but it\u2019s a pretty darn resilient virus, so it\u2019s not like you\u2019re licking other people\u2019s poop,\u201d said Dr. Ross Newman<\/a>, a pediatrician based in Oregon and a medical communicator on social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Instead, contaminated particles end up on people\u2019s hands or surfaces they touch \u2014 and can sometimes even spread through the air, he explained. <\/p>\n

If someone who has norovirus doesn\u2019t wash their hands well after using the bathroom and then uses a towel to dry their hands, that towel can then become a carrier. Then, if a non-infected person uses that towel to dry their hands, they could pick up the virus.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can exist on surfaces for long periods of time … it can be on blankets, gloves, clothing, hair, skin … or it can just be from filthy hands,\u201d Newman added.<\/p>\n

Contaminated surfaces can become a \u201csource of spread,\u201d added Gooden, which is how norovirus commonly rips through places with long-term care settings, day cares and cruise ships \u2014 all spaces where people are in close quarters and touching the same door handles, tables, light switches and toys.<\/p>\n

It can also spread through food.<\/p>\n

Norovirus can also spread through contaminated food, according to Gooden. \u201cIf you eat food that has not been washed properly and is contaminated, you could also get ill,\u201d noted Gooden.<\/p>\n

This could be from a sick person preparing the food or even from contaminated raw produce, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to make sure that when you are consuming raw vegetables and raw fruits, that those have been washed appropriately because sometimes, even on farms, there might be exposure through irrigation systems to norovirus,\u201d Gooden said.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need any fancy produce soaps, instead washing produce well with water is enough to kill the virus, Gooden said.<\/p>\n

Norovirus can also spread through shellfish that becomes contaminated by infected water. In this case, fully cooking shellfish can kill the virus, according to Vasagar.<\/p>\n

Hand sanitizer doesn\u2019t kill norovirus, which makes proper hand washing crucial for prevention.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best way to protect yourself is really to perform good hand washing \u2014 and you have to use soap and water. You can\u2019t rely on hand sanitizers necessarily, especially if you\u2019ve touched contaminated surfaces or have come in contact with someone who is ill with norovirus,\u201d Gooden said.<\/p>\n

A quick hand rinse isn\u2019t good enough; use hot water and soap, and wash your hands for \u201cthe full Happy Birthday song, twice,\u201d Vasagar stressed. \u201cMost people don\u2019t wash their hands long enough to really be effective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beyond hand-washing, disinfecting surfaces with bleach-based cleansers and washing linens frequently can kill the virus, Vasagar noted. This is especially important if someone in your home is sick.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe spread is … so contagious that you\u2019re really going to have to work hard to make sure everyone else in the family doesn\u2019t get it,\u201d Vasagar said.<\/p>\n

\"Norovirus<\/p>\n

Grace Cary via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Norovirus is the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea. <\/p>\n

If you get sick, stay home, hydrate and monitor for severe symptoms.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe vomiting associated with norovirus is generally short-lived, 24 to 48 hours, but the diarrhea can last two weeks,\u201d Newman said.<\/p>\n

People are most contagious the first one or two days after their symptoms start, but they can shed the virus for weeks after that point, Newman added. <\/p>\n

If you get sick, stay home (and keep sick kids home) if you\u2019re able, all three experts told HuffPost. Also watch out for dehydration, which is \u201cthe biggest concern with complications from most stomach bugs,\u201d Newman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re losing a lot of fluids with vomiting, a lot of fluids with diarrhea,\u201d Vasagar said. Signs of dehydration include decreased urination, dizziness, dry mouth, and confusion and fatigue. If you notice any of these symptoms, get to a doctor.<\/p>\n

To combat dehydration, drink plenty of fluids, whether that\u2019s water, tea, Gatorade or soup, Gooden noted. Even if you\u2019re throwing up, you should still drink small amounts of fluids.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really important to monitor for any development of severe symptoms,\u201d Gooden said. \u201cIf your symptoms continue beyond 72 hours, usually, that\u2019s a time that I would advise to reach out to your health care professional.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you have fevers, severe abdominal pain or develop blood in your stool, you should seek medical attention, Gooden added.<\/p>\n