We’re totally in winter virus season. All through the US, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention is reporting excessive ranges of many sicknesses ― including norovirus, which is usually generally known as the “abdomen bug” or “abdomen flu.”
As of early December, norovirus instances are double what they had been in earlier years.
“This 12 months appears to be a banner 12 months for norovirus occurring — there’s a whole lot of instances being reported,” stated Dr. Michael Sweat, the director of the Heart for International Well being on the Medical College of South Carolina. The virus is often most prevalent from November to April, he added.
Norovirus is understood 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 if you happen to do get sick. Right here’s what to know:
When you’ve 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 turning 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 fast onset. Abruptly, you’re feeling very nauseous,” Sweat stated.
Though this virus comes on rapidly, it runs via of us 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 illnesses 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 sicknesses. It’s a gastrointestinal sickness that’s marked by vomiting and diarrhea, in line with Kuritzkes.
He additionally famous that individuals with norovirus “should have no blood of their diarrhea, in contrast to among the bacterial causes of diarrhea.”
Moreover, you could expertise different illnesses that go hand in hand with vomiting and diarrhea, like abdomen upset, nausea and cramping.
Not like colds and the flu, muscle aches and fever are much less widespread in norovirus.
“It sometimes doesn’t trigger fever, and so it’s not like when you’ve 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 widespread with norovirus.”
That stated, you possibly can nonetheless get a fever or aches with norovirus, according to the CDC. So if you happen to 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 could possibly purchase the virus after coming in touch with on a regular basis objects — this could possibly 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 ceaselessly contact.
“Outbreaks sometimes happen amongst folks dwelling in shut quarters. That traditional state of affairs can be an outbreak on a cruise ship, however different locations to think about can be nursing houses or colleges,” Lokant stated.
It’s additionally widespread 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 among the present outbreaks.”
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Norovirus could be very contagious. A few of our customary hygiene strategies don’t work towards it.
Whereas alcohol-based hand sanitizers can kill viruses like COVID-19, that isn’t 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 accordance with Sweat, the bottom line is to scrub your arms fastidiously for 20 seconds and to disinfect any contaminated or probably contaminated surfaces with a bleach-based answer.
He additionally really helpful avoiding touching your face when you’re out as a result of “that’s the way it sometimes can be unfold. You would possibly contact a floor after which rub your nostril or your eyes, after which you will get contaminated.”
Lastly, Sweat famous that if you happen to’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 case you get sick, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
“The primary factor is to do your finest to remain hydrated,” Kuritzkes stated in regard to probably contracting the norovirus. He instructed drinks like Gatorade or Pedialyte, which can exchange the fluids and electrolytes you lose. It’s additionally vital to reduce “strong meals or dairy-containing meals, that are going to be more durable to digest,” he stated.
Sadly, the one different predominant motion you possibly can take is to let the virus journey its course.
“There’s no vaccine and there’s no particular antiviral remedy, so it truly is simply supportive care, which is basically fluid alternative,” Kuritzkes stated.
Most individuals get better in a single to a few days, however the aged, immunocompromised of us and younger kids are liable to extreme problems.
“Older folks might produce other medical circumstances the place turning into dehydrated might carry extra dangers due to poor circulation or coronary heart illness,” Kuritzkes stated. “If you’re unable to maintain liquids down, and notably if you happen to’re beginning to really feel lightheaded or torpid, that could possibly be an indication of dehydration, and that will be a cause to hunt medical consideration.”
Extra indicators of dehydration embrace darkish urine and dry lips, Sweat famous.
In case you’re sick, it’s best to isolate and keep away from making ready meals for different folks.
“If there’s anyone within the family who has signs of norovirus, they shouldn’t be making ready meals for others,” Kuritzkes stated. “After which, if someone has these signs, they, in fact, ought to keep house from work till they resolve.”
Ideally, of us ought to isolate from different folks till they’re feeling nicely once more, Sweat stated. However even as soon as you’re feeling higher, you possibly can unfold the virus for a number of weeks, Lokant warned. That is notably true for immunocompromised folks.
In case you do get sick with norovirus this season, it’s best to avoid others for at the least two to a few days after your signs go away, according to the Mayo Clinic. This can assist maintain these round you wholesome ― particularly throughout this time when instances are on the rise.
