Stomach bug ripping through Long Island households, classrooms

A stomach virus ripping through Long Island households and classrooms is hitting patients with symptoms that include nausea, stomach cramping, vomiting and diarrhea, pediatricians and family physicians said.

Although clinicians see it every year from November to April, there are concerns the infection could leave young children and the elderly dangerously dehydrated if they are not monitored properly, health providers said.

Doctors said it’s not always easy to know if a patient had norovirus or another virus that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea in children and adults. Testing is generally done only if the patient needs to get treatment at the hospital.

Norovirus is extremely contagious and can be picked up on contaminated surfaces as well as food or water handled by someone who is infected. It's also linked to more than 50% of food poisoning cases in the United States.

The CDC estimates it causes 19 to 21 million illnesses every year and 900 deaths, with the majority among people who are 65 and older.

Wastewater monitoring of norovirus shows its level as high across the Northeast.

The best prevention? "Hand-washing, hand-washing, hand-washing," said Dr. David Fagan, a pediatrician who sees patients at Northwell Health physician partner centers in Massapequa and New Hyde Park. He said alcohol-based hand sanitizers don't kill the norovirus.

"This virus has a very firm, hard coating," Fagan said. "So when you are hand-washing, you are essentially washing the virus off your hands."

Fagan said he was seeing more preschoolers and elementary school kids with the virus than middle schoolers and teens.

"It comes on pretty quickly," Fagan said. "It’s usually short-lived, like one to three days."

Dr. Christine Doucet, who owns Patchogue Family Medical Care, advises parents to wipe down counters, doorknobs and other common surfaces that may be contaminated by someone with the virus.

"We have families where everybody got it because it ran through the entire house," Doucet said. "Sometimes they will only have one or two of the symptoms, but others will have all of them."

Whether or not it is norovirus, the uncomfortable symptoms are treated the same, said Dr. Eve Meltzer Krief, who sees patients at Huntington Village Pediatrics.

"It’s really important to keep up with the fluids, especially in babies and young children where it’s important to use electrolyte replacement drinks like Pedialyte," she said. "Parents should contact their doctors if children have ongoing vomiting because we can prescribe medicine for nausea to help them keep fluids down."

Doucet advises people to wait an hour after their last vomiting spell and then take only teaspoon-size doses of fluids every 15 minutes. After two or three hours, people can try to eat dry and plain foods like toast and crackers.

"Sometimes any more than that is too much for your stomach to handle," she said.

Seniors with certain heart conditions need to be careful with electrolyte drinks because they may have too much sugar and sodium. They may need to go to a hospital and be rehydrated with IV fluids, Doucet said.

When a child has the virus, parents can monitor their hydration by making sure they are urinating enough and the urine is clear, rather than a dark color. For babies, parents need to check their diapers.

"If there is decreased urination or lethargy or if they are having trouble keeping down small sips, let your child’s doctor know," Meltzer Krief said.

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.