Plumas Public Health and Wellness warns us that Norovirus is on the rise! It is very contagious and easily spreads from person to person, causing vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps.
If you have any of these symptoms, keep away from others and take steps to prevent the spread of germs:
– Wash hands often with soap and water
– Clean and disinfect surfaces
– Avoid and do not prepare food for others while sick and for 2 days after you feel better.
What is norovirus?
Norovirus is a virus (a type of germ) that is the most common cause of vomiting, diarrhea, and foodborne illness in the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that every year in the United States norovirus causes:
- 19 to 21 million illnesses
- 2,270,000 outpatient clinic visits annually, mostly in young children
- 465,000 emergency department visits, mostly in young children
- 109,000 hospitalizations
- 900 deaths, mostly among adults aged 65 years and older
Norovirus is very contagious, meaning it spreads quickly and easily between people. Norovirus can spread quickly in places such as schools, shelters, jails/prisons, camps, hospitals, nursing homes, and cruise ships.
Illness from norovirus is sometimes called the “stomach bug” or “stomach flu,” but it is not related to flu viruses, which mainly cause respiratory symptoms (such as coughing and lung infection).
Learn more:
