You were up all night vomiting, and still feel nauseous, your stomach hurts, and you can’t leave the vicinity of your bathroom because of the diarrhea. You figure you have the “stomach flu,” but what if I told you there is no such thing as the “stomach flu?”
Norovirus – sometimes referred to as the “stomach flu” – is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), norovirus is responsible for 58 percent of foodborne illnesses acquired in the United States.1 Norovirus is highly contagious, spread person-to-person or by ingesting contaminated food and water. Unlike other infectious diseases, our bodies do not develop immunity to the virus, leaving us susceptible to get norovirus time and time again. 2
Most norovirus outbreaks in the United States happen in the winter months. During these months, it’s more important than ever to know the symptoms and how to prevent the spread of norovirus.
Identify the Symptoms
The most notable symptom of norovirus is gastroenteritis, the temporary inflammation of the stomach and/or intestines that leads to diarrhea and vomiting.3 Each year on average in the United States, norovirus causes 19 to 21 million cases of acute gastroenteritis.1 According to the CDC, a person usually develops symptoms 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to norovirus and can recover within one to three days. The most common symptoms of norovirus are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. You’re most contagious when experiencing symptoms and during the first few days of recovery. However, you can continue to spread norovirus for more than two weeks after symptoms have subsided.1
Common Outbreak Settings
According to the CDC’s National Outbreak Reporting System, there were 2,481 norovirus outbreaks in 2017, the most recent data reported. Of those, 318 outbreak cases (13 percent) were transmitted through food.4 Food can become contaminated with norovirus at any point during production, processing, distribution and preparation. Workers can then contaminate food with norovirus when:
- infected people who have feces or vomit on their hands touch the food,
- food is placed on counters or surfaces that have infectious stool or vomit on them, or
- tiny drops of vomit from an infected person spray through the air and land on the food.
Foods can also be contaminated at their source. For example, oysters that come from contaminated water, or fruit and vegetables that are contaminated prior to harvest.
The highest incidence of outbreaks in 2017 were attributed as person-to-person transmission with 1,932 outbreak cases (78 percent). Outbreak settings typically have the circulation of a large population, have common touch-points shared by people, all within close quarters or proximity. Such settings can be found in healthcare, restaurants, daycares, schools and universities, religious facilities, grocery stores, cruise ships, and athletic facilities.
Since norovirus is so easily transmitted, it’s important to understand how to reduce the spread of norovirus in every setting.
Steps to Reduce the Spread of Norovirus
According to the CDC, follow these steps to reduce the spread of the virus:1
- Keep your hands clean. Washing your hands is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Make sure to wash your hands with soap and water at key moments, especially after using the restroom.
- Wash fruits and vegetables and cook seafood thoroughly.
- Do not prepare food or care for others when you are sick.
- Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces. Immediately disinfect and clean contaminated surfaces with a disinfectant and cleaner formulated to kill viruses. PURELL® Surface Sprays are registered with the EPA and are effective at killing norovirus on surfaces in 30 seconds.
- Wash laundry thoroughly.
Disinfecting surfaces in combination with proper hand hygiene helps eliminate the number of germs that are passed around and picked up by others. Performing these actions break the cycle of infection, keeping you healthy all year long. For more information on norovirus, visit the CDC website.