Norovirus symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea and stomach ache.
Norovirus infection is again making headlines after local news outlets reported that the virus has been reported in some schools in Kerala's Ernakulam district.
Here are five points on the highly contagious virus:
- The disease causes vomiting and diarrhoea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. The stomach flu or "winter vomiting bug" are other names for norovirus. However, its illness is unrelated to the flu, which is caused by the influenza virus, according to the CDC.
- According to the CDC, norovirus causes stomach or intestine inflammation. This is known as acute gastroenteritis. Symptoms usually appear 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to the virus. Most people recover from norovirus illness within one to three days.
- Norovirus symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea and stomach ache. Fever, headache and body pain can also persist. The CDC warns that norovirus can cause dehydration, especially in children, the elderly, and people suffering from other illnesses.
- People can catch it by eating or drinking contaminated food or liquids, touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then putting your fingers in your mouth, or having direct contact with someone who is infected, such as caring for them or sharing food or eating utensils with them.
- There is no particular medication to treat norovirus illness. To avoid dehydration, the CDC recommends drinking plenty of liquids to replace the lost fluid. It is also essential to wash your hands regularly with soap and water as the virus can stay in the feces of recovered people for at least two weeks.
