Norovirus outbreaks: Advice from doctors amid a sharp rise in illness

As a severe outbreak of norovirus, also known as stomach flu, spreads across the United States, doctors have shared their advice Newsweek about what you should pay attention to if you have the disease.

Why it matters

According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the highly contagious disease has reached its highest level in more than a decade this time of year.

The CDC reported 91 outbreaks the week of Dec. 5, compared to an average of 65 during the same period from 2012 to 2020.

Because the disease causes an average of 900 deaths per year, primarily in older adults, as well as 109,000 hospitalizations and 19 to 21 million cases in the United States each year, prevention measures can be life-saving.

What is Norovirus?

Norovirus is the most common cause of foodborne illness in the United States, accounting for nearly 58 percent of foodborne infections annually.

Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, said Newsweek in an email Sunday that “the illness is brief but intense.”

He classified the typical symptom development as beginning “with a sudden, explosive vomiting, which is soon followed by further vomiting and often diarrhea.”

Typically, most people recover within one to three days, except for the elderly, immunocompromised people, and some children. “Dehydration is a particular problem for very young and elderly frail people who may require hospitalization to rehydrate,” Schaffner said.

While outbreaks most commonly occur from November to April, Dr. Jatin Vyas, professor of infectious diseases at Columbia University Medical School in New York City Newsweek In a phone interview Sunday, he said that given that “most of the illnesses are linked to our food supply,” infectious disease experts have begun to “look at norovirus as kind of a year-round process, and there’s just kind of blips and valleys.” .”

The CDC has identified leafy greens, fresh fruits and shellfish as common causes of norovirus outbreaks. Newsweek reached out to the CDC via email on Sunday seeking comment.

Vyas noted that the virus is “quite robust” and “if we freeze our (contaminated) food, it could actually still be contaminated and infectious.” On the other hand, “it requires a sustained temperature of over 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) “To be decontaminated.” However, leafy vegetables such as lettuce, which are often a source of contamination, are usually served uncooked in salads.

Best practices for preventing norovirus

A tiny dose of just 10 virus particles can make a person sick, making it one of the most easily transmissible pathogens.

Since the virus is “extremely contagious” and spreads very quickly, especially in rooms with crowds of people, “good, repeated hand hygiene, in addition to keeping your distance from sick people, is the best prevention,” said Schaffner.

Vyas agreed, saying that “washing your hands is probably the best thing ever.” The CDC recommends people wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water, noting that “hand sanitizer alone does not work well against norovirus.”

Given that the majority of the disease is transmitted through contaminated food and germs, inanimate objects or surfaces that a contaminated person has touched, Vyas does not recommend a face mask. The virus can remain on surfaces and objects for several hours, and the CDC recommends people clean and disinfect surfaces.

Schaffner noted that during an investigation into an “outbreak surrounding a bridge club,” researchers were able to “detect the virus on the surface of playing cards.”

Vyas recommended cleaning kitchen items that a contaminated person or food source may have touched using heat and soap dishwashing cycles.

He also pointed out that washing food, especially vegetables and fruits, “is a good practice, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to prevent it completely.”

What happens next

Although there is no specific vaccine to treat norovirus, Moderna has begun trials for a possible vaccine.