It could be a bad season for the stomach bug. Early signs are that it will be a particularly busy season for outbreaks of the gastrointestinal illness called norovirus that strikes often during winter months, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Norovirus causes nausea, diarrhea and vomiting in children and adults. It spreads easily, making it difficult to prevent. It can be especially difficult to stop the spread in group settings such as schools, day cares and health care facilities.
That’s because the virus can be spread through food, water, on hands and through the air; the virus can continue to be shed for a week or more after recovering from the illness; and it can survive on surfaces for three to four weeks at room temperature.
“What is remarkable about norovirus is how easy it is to pass from person to person,” says Deborah Fry, manager of infection control and prevention at Lehigh Valley Health Network. “Only a small amount is needed to make a person sick and it can live on surfaces for long periods of time if not properly cleaned.
“Frequent hand washing and careful cleaning of the environment is the best advice we can offer to prevent illness. Staying home when you are ill is also important to prevent others from getting sick.”
Experts recommend these steps to prevent the spread of norovirus. Read More
