Norovirus: Here's What You Need to Know

Although coronavirus infections have begun to decline in the U.S., cases of other viruses are rebounding.

One of these outbreaks is the norovirus, which according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has increased since January in the U.S.

Between Aug. 1, 2021 and March 5, 2022, 448 norovirus outbreaks were reported in various states, compared to 78 outbreaks reported in the same period the previous year, according to CDC data.

The data is based on reports from the health departments of Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, and Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

According to officials from the California Department of Health, at least 34 people have contracted norovirus in recent weeks after consuming raw oysters from British Columbia, Canada. Although this type of outbreak has not occurred in LA County, it is important to know about this type of virus, especially its symptoms and how to prevent it.

What are the noroviruses?

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause vomiting, diarrhea, and viral gastroenteritis. Noroviruses can affect people of any age.

What are the symptoms of norovirus?

Rotaviruses cause inflammation of the stomach or intestines, and people usually develop symptoms within 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus. The most frequent symptoms are:

• diarrhea
• vomiting
• sickness
• stomach ache

How is norovirus transmitted?

People can get norovirus in the following ways:

• By eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus
• Touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then putting your hand in your mouth
• By having direct contact with another person who is infected and showing symptoms, especially when caring for an infected person or using cutlery used by a sick person.

What is the treatment for norovirus?

There is no medicine against norovirus as the infection cannot be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics only fight illnesses caused by bacteria such as strep throat, whooping cough, or urinary tract infection.

People infected with norovirus should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. In cases of severe dehydration, you should immediately seek medical help for treatment with intravenous fluids.

How can I protect myself against norovirus?

Here is what you should do to prevent getting norovirus:

• Wash your hands often.
• Wash fruits and vegetables well and cook shellfish thoroughly.
• Temperatures above 140 F kill the virus.
• If someone has contracted the disease in your home, clean contaminated surfaces and thoroughly wash that person's clothing and bedding.
• People who have been infected with norovirus should not prepare food while they have symptoms.
• If a person has possible symptoms of norovirus, they should stay home as it is a highly contagious virus.

For more information on norovirus, you can visit the LA County Department of Public Health page by clicking here.