If it seems like everyone has a stomach bug, it’s not in your head! An unusually high number of people in the U.S. have norovirus right now. Ninety-one outbreaks were reported to the CDC in the latest week reported! That’s more than at any one point since 2012.
While norovirus is a short-term illness, it is intense. It causes vomiting, diarrhea, and potentially fevers, chills and body aches.
At the end of December, almost 23 percent of people tested positive for norovirus at clinical labs. Usually, only 10 to 15 percent of people have it at the season’s peak.
Many people don’t seek treatment for a stomach bug, and doctors and labs aren’t required to report it if it’s diagnosed. So, while we can say it’s running rampant, we don’t know how bad it is! It’s bad enough that a substantially higher number of people are having to seek help.
Norovirus is spread through vomit and fecal matter. That can be through a handshake or contaminated food. The best way to protect yourself is by washing your hands, avoiding dodgy restaurants and taking precautions around ill people. It can be aerosolized after someone vomits, so clean the bathroom well. Wash surfaces with bleach products. It survives on surfaces for weeks.
Hand sanitizer doesn’t kill the norovirus, so wash with soap and water. “You really have to use soap and water,” said Dr. James Penn, a gastroenterologist. “For a lot of people, it’s so much more convenient to pump the hand sanitizer. But you really have to clean with soap and water.”
If you become ill, stay hydrated with an electrolyte drink. You don’t need to drink excessively, just enough to stay hydrated. You don’t have to eat if you don’t feel hungry, as that may make you ill. When you start to feel hungry, go for blander options like toast.
Wisconsin is battling record-high numbers of norovirus cases. But they aren’t panicking. “It does not change any recommendations about prevention or spread. It just means we have a robust outbreak season and therefore an opportunity to really emphasize the importance of handwashing, staying home while sick and until at least 48 hours after recovery,” said Elizabeth Goodsitt, spokesperson for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
By taking care of yourself, you can prevent norovirus. And, if you pull the short straw and get ill, there are ways to feel better. If you do become sick. Let your doctor know. Everyone has different health concerns, and your doctor may have recommendations that are specific to you. Stomach bugs are very unpleasant. But stomach bug season does end!
