Preventing The Spread Of Norovirus

As many people know all too well, norovirus is a wicked illness. It causes gastroenteritis, a fancy name for violent vomiting, intense nausea, and severe diarrhea symptoms.

Each year, norovirus causes about 19 to 21 million illnesses in the United States. Outbreaks often hit the U.S., Europe and other countries in the wintertime, when folks spend more time inside, often after traveling for end-of-year holidays.

Here's how to prevent the spread of norovirus and what to do if someone in your home has contracted the virus.

What Is Norovirus?

Norovirus is also known as the stomach flu, stomach bug, or acute gastroenteritis. It is a very contagious virus that results in people experiencing vomiting and diarrhea for one to two days.

You can be exposed to the virus:

• Person To Person Contact: Physical contact with a currently ill person increases the chance of acquiring the norovirus.
• Contaminated Foods: Eating food or drinking a beverage that has been contaminated may result in contracting the norovirus. In fact, norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States, causing 58% of foodborne illnesses acquired in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
• Touching Your Face: Touching an infected object and placing your hand around your face or near your mouth will potentially result in infection.

While an outbreak of norovirus can occur at any point throughout the year, most outbreaks are recorded throughout the winter and spring, according to the CDC. In the United States, around 2,500 norovirus outbreaks happen every year, and they occur in several common settings, including schools.

Once infected, people get sick and experience symptoms fairly soon. Often symptoms develop within 12 to 48 hours of exposure to a person or item infected with the norovirus.

What Are Symptoms Of Norovirus?

Norovirus has very distinct symptoms: such as vomiting and diarrhea, often lasting a couple of days. Additionally, infected people can experience nausea and discomfort throughout the stomach, including general pain and inflammation.

Other symptoms of the norovirus include:

• Temporary headaches
• Bodily discomfort
• Fevers

People who are sick from the norovirus are at risk of dehydration, which can include signs such as lack of urine, lack of tears, and dizziness during sudden movement. Severe dehydration can lead to hospitalization.

If you have noticed that you or your children are very dehydrated, it is best to reach out to a professional for care.

While looking after your children who might have general or norovirus-related symptoms on the weekend is straightforward, it may be more complicated to do it on a school day or while at work. Several tips are available that can assist busy parents while their child is at school, including hand washing and what to pack for the child.

How Do You Treat Norovirus?

There is no medication to treat norovirus infections. If you are ill, drink plenty of liquids to replace fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhea. While no treatment of norovirus infections exists, it is still important to watch out for visible norovirus symptoms affecting you and your children.

How Can You Prevent The Spread Of Norovirus?

Prevent the spread of norovirus by:

• Making A Habit Of Handwashing: It is crucial for people of all ages to wash their hands with soap and water, specifically when interacting with a restroom, food or medicine.
• Preparing Food Properly: Mistakes in food preparation can increase the chances of contracting the virus. Ensure that groceries that require washing are washed thoroughly, and meat is well cooked. Avoid cooking or preparing food for others if you are sick or were recently ill.
• Disinfecting Surfaces: Because norovirus is so contagious, it is essential to disinfect areas or surfaces that have been contaminated, to prevent the spread of the norovirus. Cleaning up vomit or diarrhea should include gloves and using 10% bleach to kill the virus on affected surfaces.
• Washing Soiled Clothes: Wash soiled clothes and stay protected from the area of infection by using gloves. Do not let soiled clothes sit. Wash them as soon as they are contaminated. Keeping the dirty area away from your body is essential when inserting the clothes into a washing machine. Make sure to disinfect the site where the soiled clothes were initially placed.

HealthDay News contributed information to this article.