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Public Health England (PHE) has issued a warning regarding an increase in the number of cases of vomiting virus norovirus. Official data from PHE revealed that the highly infectious norovirus is prevalent during the summer season and has spread drastically in recent weeks among preschoolers in nurseries and day care centers.
These children are responsible for the faster spread of this virus in all age groups. The PHE advised citizens to take simple precautions that would stop the spread of norovirus and said in a statement that the advisory followed “routine surveillance which showed the number of outbreaks caused by the vomiting virus increased in recent weeks (5 week period from late May to July).
On July 16, the health body said, “In the past 5 weeks, 154 outbreaks have been reported, compared to an average of 53 outbreaks reported in the same period in the previous 5 years.”
What is norovirus?
Norovirus is a highly infectious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Although it passes within days, it is easily spread through contact with infected people or contaminated surfaces. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only a few particles of norovirus can make other people sick. The infected person presents a danger to surrounding people, especially in the first days of infection if they induce vomiting.
The CDC noted, “However, studies have shown that you can still spread norovirus for two or more weeks after you feel better.”
How is it transmitted?
Norovirus is spread primarily through food and water, according to the CDC, here are the ways:
Symptoms of norovirus
Norovirus is a common virus that is unrelated to influenza and is primarily a foodborne illness. The CDC explained that the most common symptoms of norovirus infections include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Meanwhile, other symptoms also include fever, headache, and body aches. Norovirus essentially causes inflammation of the stomach or intestines called acute gastroenteritis, according to the CDC. Additionally, the incubation period is around 12 to 48 hours, and most people recover within 1 to 3 days of infection. Other symptoms of dehydration include decreased urination, dry mouth and throat, dizziness when standing up.
Prevention?
Here are the basic ways the CDC recommends to prevent norovirus infection:
Norovirus treatment
The CDC says there is no specific medicine to treat people with norovirus disease, but if a person has contracted the pathogen, the patient must drink plenty of fluid to replace the fluid lost with vomiting and diarrhea. This would prevent dehydration as the lack of water can lead to other serious problems. The CDC noted: “Severe dehydration may require hospitalization for treatment with fluids given through a vein (intravenous or IV fluids).”
The CDC said: “Antibiotic drugs will not help treat norovirus infections because they fight bacteria, not viruses.”
Image: AP / Unsplash
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