Norovirus, the highly contagious stomach flu, saw a sharp increase in early December, with 91 outbreaks reported nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials are urging extra precautions, especially as people gather for the holidays.
Norovirus remains the leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States, responsible for more than half of all food-related infections annually. In San Diego County alone, there have been 385 outbreaks this year. Dr. William Tseng, assistant chief of staff at Kaiser Permanente, explained how quickly the virus can spread.
"So it can be spread through feces, through touching, through contact surfaces, through contaminated foods," Dr. Tseng explained.
The virus is resilient, capable of surviving heat, freezing temperatures, and dryness, which means it can linger on surfaces for days.
Once contracted, symptoms usually appear within one to two days and can last for up to three days, causing severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach aches. Tseng advised using bleach or hydrogen peroxide products to clean surfaces, noting that alcohol-based hand sanitizers are ineffective.
"They're not as effective as hand washing alone," Tseng stressed. "Hand washing with soap and lather and rinse 20 seconds is more effective than any alcohol."
While anyone can contract the virus, young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk. Tseng said the virus is particularly prevalent in confined spaces such as cruise ships, schools, and nursing homes.
If you do become ill, Tseng said there isn’t much you can do but stay hydrated. And you should see a doctor if you're unable to keep fluids down.
"That’s when you get into trouble. That’s where you need IV care and supportive care to really make sure that we help you through this time, but the body takes care of most of it," he said.
