We’re absolutely in winter virus season. All through the US, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention is reporting excessive ranges of many diseases ― including norovirus, which is often generally known as the “abdomen bug” or “abdomen flu.”
As of early December, norovirus circumstances are double what they had been in earlier years.
“This yr appears to be a banner yr for norovirus occurring — there’s quite a lot of circumstances being reported,” stated Dr. Michael Sweat, the director of the Middle for World Well being on the Medical College of South Carolina. The virus is usually most prevalent from November to April, he added.
Norovirus is thought to trigger some fairly nasty signs, however there are steps you possibly can take to remain wholesome and issues you are able to do to really feel higher in the event you do get sick. Right here’s what to know:
When you may have norovirus, you’ll get sick rapidly however gained’t keep sick for too lengthy.
As soon as uncovered to the virus, you’ll come down with signs about 12 to 48 hours after changing into contaminated, stated Dr. Matthew Lokant, an infectious illness specialist on the West Virginia College Faculty of Drugs.
“One of many hallmark signs is a speedy onset. All of a sudden, you are feeling very nauseous,” Sweat stated.
Though this virus comes on rapidly, it runs via people fairly quick, too. Sweat famous that most individuals are sick for one to a few days, and Dr. Daniel R. Kuritzkes, the chief of the division of infectious ailments at Brigham and Ladies’s Hospital in Boston, stated that the norovirus resolves by itself and isn’t life-threatening for most individuals.
Vomiting and diarrhea are the telltale indicators of a norovirus an infection.
It’s not laborious to distinguish norovirus from different seasonal diseases. It’s a gastrointestinal sickness that’s marked by vomiting and diarrhea, in response to Kuritzkes.
He additionally famous that individuals with norovirus “should have no blood of their diarrhea, not like a number of the bacterial causes of diarrhea.”
Moreover, you might expertise different illnesses that go hand in hand with vomiting and diarrhea, like abdomen upset, nausea and cramping.
In contrast to colds and the flu, muscle aches and fever are much less frequent in norovirus.
“It sometimes doesn’t trigger fever, and so it’s not like when you may have the flu or COVID, the place you’ll have muscle aches and pains and higher respiratory signs like a runny nostril or something,” Kuritzkes stated. “None of these issues are frequent with norovirus.”
That stated, you possibly can nonetheless get a fever or aches with norovirus, according to the CDC. So in the event you expertise these signs together with gastrointestinal points, you might need the sickness.
The virus spreads via contaminated meals, water and surfaces.
Norovirus can survive on surfaces for a number of weeks, Lokant stated.
“You possibly can purchase the virus after coming involved with on a regular basis gadgets — this might be contaminated meals, contaminated water or contaminated surfaces like doorknobs or smartphones, particularly when in shut contact with contaminated people,” he added.
Lokant additionally famous that contaminated individuals “have the virus of their vomit and stool.” So, for instance, vomit particles can float through the air and find yourself in a noninfected individual’s mouth or on surfaces folks often contact.
“Outbreaks sometimes happen amongst folks dwelling in shut quarters. That basic state of affairs can be an outbreak on a cruise ship, however different locations to contemplate can be nursing properties or colleges,” Lokant stated.
It’s additionally frequent for norovirus to be unfold by meals handlers, with Lokant including, “Meals generally concerned in outbreaks embrace leafy greens, contemporary fruits and shellfish,” whereas Kuritzkes famous that uncooked oysters from Washington state and Oregon “have been implicated in a number of the present outbreaks.”
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Norovirus could be very contagious. A few of our commonplace hygiene strategies don’t work towards it.
Whereas alcohol-based hand sanitizers can kill viruses like COVID-19, that’s not the case for norovirus.
“The norovirus truly has a protecting outer shell, making alcohol-based hand sanitizers much less efficient than hand washing,” Lokant stated.
In line with Sweat, the secret is to scrub your fingers fastidiously for 20 seconds and to disinfect any contaminated or probably contaminated surfaces with a bleach-based resolution.
He additionally beneficial avoiding touching your face when you’re out as a result of “that’s the way it sometimes can be unfold. You may contact a floor after which rub your nostril or your eyes, after which you will get contaminated.”
Lastly, Sweat famous that in the event you’re taking good care of somebody with norovirus, it’s best to put on disposable gloves and a masks when cleansing up after them.
In the event you get sick, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
“The principle factor is to do your finest to remain hydrated,” Kuritzkes stated in regard to probably contracting the norovirus. He advised drinks like Gatorade or Pedialyte, which is able to change the fluids and electrolytes you lose. It’s additionally essential to reduce “stable meals or dairy-containing meals, that are going to be tougher to digest,” he stated.
Sadly, the one different fundamental motion you possibly can take is to let the virus experience its course.
“There’s no vaccine and there’s no particular antiviral remedy, so it truly is simply supportive care, which is basically fluid substitute,” Kuritzkes stated.
Most individuals get better in a single to a few days, however the aged, immunocompromised people and younger kids are liable to extreme issues.
“Older folks might produce other medical circumstances the place changing into dehydrated might carry extra dangers due to poor circulation or coronary heart illness,” Kuritzkes stated. “In case you are unable to maintain liquids down, and significantly in the event you’re beginning to really feel lightheaded or torpid, that might be an indication of dehydration, and that might be a cause to hunt medical consideration.”
Extra indicators of dehydration embrace darkish urine and dry lips, Sweat famous.
In the event you’re sick, it’s best to isolate and keep away from getting ready meals for different folks.
“If there’s anyone within the family who has signs of norovirus, they shouldn’t be getting ready meals for others,” Kuritzkes stated. “After which, if any person has these signs, they, after all, ought to keep house from work till they resolve.”
Ideally, people ought to isolate from different folks till they’re feeling nicely once more, Sweat stated. However even as soon as you are feeling higher, you possibly can unfold the virus for a number of weeks, Lokant warned. That is significantly true for immunocompromised folks.
In the event you do get sick with norovirus this season, it’s best to steer clear of others for not less than two to a few days after your signs go away, according to the Mayo Clinic. This may assist preserve these round you wholesome ― particularly throughout this time when circumstances are on the rise.
