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Norovirus cases are on the rise heading into the summer, likely as more people are gathering.The notorious illness brings some pretty intense symptoms, including diharrhea and vomiting, and can lead to severe dehydration.The best way to avoid norovirus is to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds.<\/p>\n
Despite the fact that its nickname is the \u201cwinter vomiting disease,\u201d word on the street is that the norovirus<\/a> is seeing an uptick right now. But we\u2019re at the start of the summer season\u2026so is it really something to be concerned about?<\/p>\n Unfortunately, the reports aren\u2019t clickbait. Norovirus<\/a> cases are going up across the country. \u201cWastewater data does show that norovirus is high in the U.S. right now,\u201d says Amesh A. Adalja, MD,<\/a> a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.<\/p>\n That doesn\u2019t mean you should freak out and assume you\u2019re going to get it, of course. Really, what it means is that this is an illness that should at least be on your radar. Here\u2019s what doctors recommend being on the lookout for, plus how to keep yourself healthy.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Thomas Russo, MD,<\/a> professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. William Schaffner, MD,<\/a> an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Amesh A. Adalja, MD<\/a>, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security<\/p>\n What\u2019s behind the increase?<\/p>\n It\u2019s not totally clear. While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC) show that norovirus is at its highest levels in the winter, there are still cases throughout all four seasons. \u201cIt is a year-round virus, so you might see a blip here and a blip there,\u201d says Thomas Russo, MD,<\/a> professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. Basically, there\u2019s nothing particularly abnormal about the spike.<\/p>\n As for what\u2019s driving cases right now, experts think that it could simply be that people are gathering more. Warmer weather brings plenty of opportunities for people to get together, from small picnics to big weddings, which could increase the odds of the norovirus spreading, says William Schaffner, MD,<\/a> an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. If just one person at a gathering is sick, it could quickly result in more cases. \u201cNorovirus is easily transmittable,\u201d Dr. Schaffner says.<\/p>\n Norovirus causes some pretty intense symptoms.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve probably heard that norovirus is linked with diarrhea<\/a> and vomiting, and this isn\u2019t usually a one-and-done kind of thing. \u201cIt comes on suddenly,\u201d Dr. Schaffner says, but then it can last for up to three days. Those days aren\u2019t pretty. \u201cIt can be explosive vomiting and diarrhea,\u201d Dr. Schaffner says.<\/p>\n Along with those GI symptoms, you may be left grappling with stomach pains, a fever, headache, and\/or body aches, per the CDC<\/a>. \u201cIt’s really one to two days-plus of total misery,\u201d Dr. Russo says.<\/p>\n
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