(WXYZ) — Norovirus cases are rising in the U.S., particularly in Michigan and Northeastern states.
Often called the “stomach bug,” the virus is the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea from acute gastroenteritis among all age groups.
Novoviruses are a group of single-stranded RNA viruses. It’s the Caliciviridae family of viruses that are the main culprits behind gastroenteritis. Once the virus enters your body, your stomach and intestine swell and become inflamed, and that condition is what we call gastroenteritis.
It leads to those dreadful symptoms that were just mentioned — vomiting and diarrhea — plus you can also experience stomach pain, headache, fever and body aches.
Now, cases have been rising in Michigan, according to the Michigan Disease Surveillance System. Over the last four weeks, we’ve had 156 reported cases. Sixty-six percent of those cases were in the last two weeks.
Nationwide, recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed an overall positivity rate of over 12% in tests, up from 11.5% the previous week. However, the Northeast was even higher, with positivity rates of over 13% since the end of January.
While this sounds concerning, these numbers are lower than last year around this time. Of course, that could change as this is a very contagious virus, and it’s most active between late fall and early spring.
Norovirus spreads in different ways. You can get infected by hanging out with someone who has it, by sharing food or utensils or by eating food an infected person handles.
The virus can also be naturally found in certain foods like oysters and other seafood. And since the virus can linger on objects and surfaces for long periods of time, you can pick it up that way as well.
So to avoid getting infected, it’s best to:
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
- Give your fruits and veggies a good wash before preparing and eating
- Cook your food thoroughly, especially seafood or shellfish
- Steer clear of folks showing norovirus symptoms
- Regularly sanitize surfaces and objects that are frequently touched
As for possible complications, if you get sick, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. That’s because norovirus infection can cause severe dehydration and even death. According to the CDC, over 109,000 hospitalizations and around 900 deaths each year due to the Norovirus.
So, if you or a loved one gets sick, be sure to seek medical care if diarrhea persists for several days or if there’s severe vomiting, bloody stools, stomach pain or dehydration.
