(The hill) — A stomach virus known as norovirus is spreading in the northeastern United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The three-week average of positive tests for norovirus in the region reached 13.9 percent in recent weeks and has remained above a 10 percent positive rate since mid-December 2023.
While the Northeast is experiencing a high number of positive norovirus cases, They show CDC data that other areas are also seeing positive tests in recent weeks. The South has 9.5 percent, the Midwest has hovered around 10 percent, and the West has about 12 percent.
Norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea and foodborne illness in the United States, the CDC said. People of all ages can be infected and the disease spreads “very easily and quickly”.
The CDC said people can get norovirus multiple times in their lifetime because there are many different types of the virus. Getting infected with “one type of norovirus may not protect you from other types,” the advisory said.
Humans may develop protection against certain types of noroviruses, but it is not known how long a protection may last.
Outbreaks occur most often in late fall, winter, and early spring. Symptoms also include fever, headache, dehydration and body aches.
The CDC recommends washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces with bleach, and washing clothes in hot water to prevent the spread of norovirus.
There are 19 to 21 million illnesses in the US caused by norovirus each year, most often between November and April. There are about 109,000 hospitalizations each year and 900 deaths, more often among the elderly, the CDC said.
