Stomach virus making its way through Long Island: What to know
Washing hands, rather than using hand sanitizer, is most effective against norovirus, experts said. Credit: Getty Images / iStockphoto / PeopleImages
If you haven’t had it, you probably know someone who has — a nasty stomach virus that is making its way through Long Island and many parts of the United States.
Norovirus, a highly contagious virus, causes acute gastroenteritis, inflammation of the stomach and intestines in both children and adults. That means vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. It tends to circulate between November and April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In recent weeks, emergency rooms across Nassau and Suffolk counties have reported an uptick in patients with norovirus or similar symptoms, which can lead to dehydration and other issues.
While it might seem like an unusual increase in cases, the CDC said the national trend in this season’s norovirus cases is similar to pre-COVID-19 pandemic years. Like many other viruses, norovirus cases seemed to decline in recent years due to COVID-19 protections such as masking and social distancing. Many of those protocols have ended as the number of COVID-19 cases has declined.
“It’s a highly contagious virus, and you don’t need much of the virus to be infected,” said Dr. Alan Bulbin, an infectious disease specialist at Catholic Health. “The highest risk is when you are around someone symptomatic. That’s how you can get household outbreaks.”
Here is what you need to know about norovirus.
You can get norovirus from having direct contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food or water or touching contaminated surfaces and then putting your unwashed hands in your mouth, according to the CDC.
Hand-washing is one of the most important precautions you can take, especially after you go to the bathroom. That is why it is especially common in schoolchildren, who are around others and may not wash their hands as much or as thoroughly as adults, said Dr. Adam Berman, associate chair of emergency medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
“If you know that someone else has the symptoms, stay away from them until their symptoms start to improve,” Berman said. “People are most contagious within the first 24 to 72 hours of their symptoms … that is when they are most likely to pass it onto other people by touching objects another person touches.”
Hand sanitizer does not work well against norovirus, according to the CDC, which recommends washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
The CDC said people with norovirus should avoid food preparation until at least 48 hours after symptoms stop. In addition, all surfaces contaminated by vomit or diarrhea should be properly cleaned and disinfected.
Norovirus can cause severe vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea, leaving people feeling weak and dehydrated. For most people, symptoms subside in two or three days, Bulbin said. If you are able to hydrate yourself, even with just water, and rest you can probably stay home.
But if symptoms don't subside and you are not able to keep fluids down, you are too weak to do things you normally do and notice a significant decrease in the ability to urinate, it may be time to seek medical attention, Berman said.
The CDC estimated that the norovirus causes about 900 deaths every year in the United States, mostly among adults age 65 and older, and 2.2 million outpatient clinic visits, mostly in young children.
Everyone should take norovirus seriously, especially those who are older and have underlying medical conditions, experts said. Those problems can become exacerbated during a bout with norovirus.
“You might have somebody that’s very dehydrated and then that unmasks their atrial fibrillation,” Bulbin said. “They go into a rapid heart rate and now that needs to be controlled.”
According to a CDC spokesperson, an estimated 19 to 21 million norovirus-associated illnesses occur each year, but norovirus itself is not usually reported by individuals. The CDC collects norovirus outbreak data from state and local health departments and data on norovirus cases from clinical laboratories who voluntarily report.
Most people who have norovirus are not likely to be tested for it, experts said, because the treatment for the symptoms generally remains the same: hydration and rest.
Norovirus is the leading cause of illness and outbreaks from contaminated food in the U.S., according to the CDC. Infected food workers can contaminate ready-to-eat foods, including washed raw fruits and vegetables for salads or sandwiches, baked goods, or items that already have been cooked. Norovirus is “hard to kill and stays on food, kitchen surfaces, and utensils,” the agency said.
While the symptoms can be similar to norovirus, Shigellosis is an infection that causes domestically acquired and travel-associated bacterial diarrhea in the United States, according to the CDC. It usually causes inflammatory diarrhea and can lead to fever and abdominal cramping. The CDC has been monitoring an increase in infections that are resistant to drugs. Hospital systems on Long Island said this does not appear to be an issue locally at the moment.
If you haven’t had it, you probably know someone who has — a nasty stomach virus that is making its way through Long Island and many parts of the United States.
Norovirus, a highly contagious virus, causes acute gastroenteritis, inflammation of the stomach and intestines in both children and adults. That means vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. It tends to circulate between November and April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In recent weeks, emergency rooms across Nassau and Suffolk counties have reported an uptick in patients with norovirus or similar symptoms, which can lead to dehydration and other issues.
While it might seem like an unusual increase in cases, the CDC said the national trend in this season’s norovirus cases is similar to pre-COVID-19 pandemic years. Like many other viruses, norovirus cases seemed to decline in recent years due to COVID-19 protections such as masking and social distancing. Many of those protocols have ended as the number of COVID-19 cases has declined.
“It’s a highly contagious virus, and you don’t need much of the virus to be infected,” said Dr. Alan Bulbin, an infectious disease specialist at Catholic Health. “The highest risk is when you are around someone symptomatic. That’s how you can get household outbreaks.”
Here is what you need to know about norovirus.
How does norovirus spread?
You can get norovirus from having direct contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food or water or touching contaminated surfaces and then putting your unwashed hands in your mouth, according to the CDC.
Hand-washing is one of the most important precautions you can take, especially after you go to the bathroom. That is why it is especially common in schoolchildren, who are around others and may not wash their hands as much or as thoroughly as adults, said Dr. Adam Berman, associate chair of emergency medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
When are people most contagious?
“If you know that someone else has the symptoms, stay away from them until their symptoms start to improve,” Berman said. “People are most contagious within the first 24 to 72 hours of their symptoms … that is when they are most likely to pass it onto other people by touching objects another person touches.”
Does hand sanitizer work?
Hand sanitizer does not work well against norovirus, according to the CDC, which recommends washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
The CDC said people with norovirus should avoid food preparation until at least 48 hours after symptoms stop. In addition, all surfaces contaminated by vomit or diarrhea should be properly cleaned and disinfected.
If someone has bad symptoms, how do they know whether to stay home or go to the emergency room?
Norovirus can cause severe vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea, leaving people feeling weak and dehydrated. For most people, symptoms subside in two or three days, Bulbin said. If you are able to hydrate yourself, even with just water, and rest you can probably stay home.
But if symptoms don't subside and you are not able to keep fluids down, you are too weak to do things you normally do and notice a significant decrease in the ability to urinate, it may be time to seek medical attention, Berman said.
But isn’t this just a stomach virus? Is it that serious?
The CDC estimated that the norovirus causes about 900 deaths every year in the United States, mostly among adults age 65 and older, and 2.2 million outpatient clinic visits, mostly in young children.
Everyone should take norovirus seriously, especially those who are older and have underlying medical conditions, experts said. Those problems can become exacerbated during a bout with norovirus.
“You might have somebody that’s very dehydrated and then that unmasks their atrial fibrillation,” Bulbin said. “They go into a rapid heart rate and now that needs to be controlled.”
Does the CDC track norovirus cases across the United States?
According to a CDC spokesperson, an estimated 19 to 21 million norovirus-associated illnesses occur each year, but norovirus itself is not usually reported by individuals. The CDC collects norovirus outbreak data from state and local health departments and data on norovirus cases from clinical laboratories who voluntarily report.
Most people who have norovirus are not likely to be tested for it, experts said, because the treatment for the symptoms generally remains the same: hydration and rest.
What is the link between norovirus and food?
Norovirus is the leading cause of illness and outbreaks from contaminated food in the U.S., according to the CDC. Infected food workers can contaminate ready-to-eat foods, including washed raw fruits and vegetables for salads or sandwiches, baked goods, or items that already have been cooked. Norovirus is “hard to kill and stays on food, kitchen surfaces, and utensils,” the agency said.
What are Shigella infections? Why did the CDC put out an alert on them?
While the symptoms can be similar to norovirus, Shigellosis is an infection that causes domestically acquired and travel-associated bacterial diarrhea in the United States, according to the CDC. It usually causes inflammatory diarrhea and can lead to fever and abdominal cramping. The CDC has been monitoring an increase in infections that are resistant to drugs. Hospital systems on Long Island said this does not appear to be an issue locally at the moment.
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.
