Norovirus Cases Are Surging. These Are The Most Common Symptoms Doctors Are Seeing Right Now.
We’re fully in winter virus season. Throughout the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting high levels of many illnesses ― including norovirus, which is commonly known as the “stomach bug” or “stomach flu.”
As of early December, norovirus cases are double what they were in previous years.
“This year seems to be a banner year for norovirus occurring — there’s a lot of cases being reported,” said Dr. Michael Sweat, the director of the Center for Global Health at the Medical University of South Carolina. The virus is typically most prevalent from November to April, he added.
Norovirus is known to cause some pretty nasty symptoms, but there are steps you can take to stay healthy and things you can do to feel better if you do get sick. Here’s what to know:
When you have norovirus, you’ll get sick quickly but won’t stay sick for too long.
Once exposed to the virus, you’ll come down with symptoms about 12 to 48 hours after becoming infected, said Dr. Matthew Lokant, an infectious disease specialist at the West Virginia University School of Medicine.
“One of the hallmark symptoms is a rapid onset. Suddenly, you feel very nauseous,” Sweat said.
Although this virus comes on quickly, it runs through folks pretty fast, too. Sweat noted that most people are sick for one to three days, and Dr. Daniel R. Kuritzkes, the chief of the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said that the norovirus resolves on its own and is not life-threatening for most people.
Vomiting and diarrhea are the telltale signs of a norovirus infection.
It’s not hard to differentiate norovirus from other seasonal illnesses. It’s a gastrointestinal illness that’s marked by vomiting and diarrhea, according to Kuritzkes.
He also noted that people with norovirus “should not have any blood in their diarrhea, unlike some of the bacterial causes of diarrhea.”
Additionally, you may experience other ailments that go hand in hand with vomiting and diarrhea, like stomach upset, nausea and cramping.
Unlike colds and the flu, muscle aches and fever are less common in norovirus.
“It typically doesn’t cause fever, and so it’s not like when you have the flu or COVID, where you’ll have muscle aches and pains and upper respiratory symptoms like a runny nose or anything,” Kuritzkes said. “None of those things are common with norovirus.”
That said, you can still get a fever or aches with norovirus, according to the CDC. So if you experience those symptoms along with gastrointestinal issues, you might have the illness.
The virus spreads through contaminated food, water and surfaces.
Norovirus can survive on surfaces for multiple weeks, Lokant said.
“You could acquire the virus after coming in contact with everyday items — this could be contaminated food, contaminated water or contaminated surfaces like doorknobs or smartphones, especially when in close contact with infected individuals,” he added.
Lokant also noted that infected persons “have the virus in their vomit and stool.” So, for instance, vomit particles can float through the air and end up in a noninfected person’s mouth or on surfaces people frequently touch.
“Outbreaks typically occur among people living in close quarters. That classic scenario would be an outbreak on a cruise ship, but other places to consider would be nursing homes or schools,” Lokant said.
It’s also common for norovirus to be spread by food handlers, with Lokant adding, “Foods commonly involved in outbreaks include leafy greens, fresh fruits and shellfish,” while Kuritzkes noted that raw oysters from Washington state and Oregon “have been implicated in some of the current outbreaks.”
Norovirus is very contagious. Some of our standard hygiene methods don’t work against it.
While alcohol-based hand sanitizers can kill viruses like COVID-19, that is not the case for norovirus.
“The norovirus actually has a protective outer shell, making alcohol-based hand sanitizers less effective than hand washing,” Lokant said.
According to Sweat, the key is to wash your hands carefully for 20 seconds and to disinfect any contaminated or potentially contaminated surfaces with a bleach-based solution.
He also recommended avoiding touching your face while you’re out because “that’s how it typically would be spread. You might touch a surface and then rub your nose or your eyes, and then you can get infected.”
Lastly, Sweat noted that if you’re taking care of someone with norovirus, you should wear disposable gloves and a mask when cleaning up after them.
If you get sick, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
“The main thing is to do your best to stay hydrated,” Kuritzkes said in regard to potentially contracting the norovirus. He suggested drinks like Gatorade or Pedialyte, which will replace the fluids and electrolytes you lose. It’s also important to minimize “solid foods or dairy-containing foods, which are going to be harder to digest,” he said.
Unfortunately, the only other main action you can take is to let the virus ride its course.
“There’s no vaccine and there’s no specific antiviral therapy, so it really is just supportive care, which is essentially fluid replacement,” Kuritzkes said.
Most people recover in one to three days, but the elderly, immunocompromised folks and young children are at risk of severe complications.
“Older people may have other medical conditions where becoming dehydrated may carry additional risks because of poor circulation or heart disease,” Kuritzkes said. “If you are unable to keep liquids down, and particularly if you’re starting to feel lightheaded or lethargic, that could be a sign of dehydration, and that would be a reason to seek medical attention.”
Additional signs of dehydration include dark urine and dry lips, Sweat noted.
If you’re sick, you should isolate and avoid preparing food for other people.
“If there’s anybody in the household who has symptoms of norovirus, they should not be preparing food for others,” Kuritzkes said. “And then, if somebody has those symptoms, they, of course, should stay home from work until they resolve.”
Ideally, folks should isolate from other people until they’re feeling well again, Sweat said. But even once you feel better, you can spread the virus for multiple weeks, Lokant warned. This is particularly true for immunocompromised people.
If you do get sick with norovirus this season, you should stay away from others for at least two to three days after your symptoms go away, according to the Mayo Clinic. This will help keep those around you healthy ― especially during this time when cases are on the rise.
