Winter wave: Norovirus cases have more than doubled the previous peak

Norovirus, notorious for causing vomiting and diarrhea, is surging across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the current wave has hit a level that’s more than twice as high as the previous peak. 

The Lowcountry is no exception. MUSC Health’s Charleston campus has seen 80 positive test results for norovirus over the past three months. 

“Our communities across the U.S. and certainly in the Southeast are experiencing this bloom in norovirus that began after the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Stephen Thacker, M.D. He’s an infectious disease specialist at MUSC Children’s Health and an associate professor of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina.

“Classically, norovirus is an illness that we share as we gather indoors during the cold months. The number of outbreaks during our winter months so far has exceeded what we typically see. It's been pretty impactful. It's also one of these viruses that you don't really generate lifelong immunity to once you've been infected with it,” Thacker said.

 

“The average experience is one of having some nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and crampy belly pain that's really miserable. About half of us will have fever. Given the vomiting and diarrhea, if we don’t stay on top of getting in more fluids, it can lead to dehydration.”

With that in mind, he encouraged parents to keep a close eye on kids who have the virus and bring them in to see a doctor or to an urgent care clinic if they aren’t able to drink or retain enough fluids. Thacker said anyone who has an underlying health condition such as a gastrointestinal disease or a weakened immune system can have a much worse case of norovirus than the average person. They need close monitoring as well. 

How do people get the virus? It thrives in households and other close quarters. “It can infect the kiddos in the house, it can infect their parents, and it is a real challenge in places where we have folks in tight living spaces,” Thacker said.

“That’s why it's one of the pathogens that they worry about on cruise ships. We certainly have had some norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships this year. What we're seeing here in the Southeast really is just related to sharing amongst our households and our schools in the community.”

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Health, norovirus can spread in several ways, including:

• Eating or drinking something contaminated with the virus.
• Touching things like doorknobs and keyboards contaminated with the virus, then touching the mouth with a hand carrying the virus.
• Coming into direct contact with an infected person by sharing food or utensils.

Once a person is infected, they feel it fairly quickly. “So the time from which you've been exposed or infected to when you're sick is usually about a day to two days max. Then you're sick for about three days, and you're at risk of sharing your infection during that time. You're also at risk of sharing the infection if you're not using good handwashing for at least a good couple of weeks after you've recovered,” Thacker said.

“Handwashing is our best tool. This virus is notable in that our alcohol-based hand sanitizers aren't super effective at killing it. So it's one of the infections where good old-fashioned soap and water is key. Washing for 20 seconds with a soapy lather is really our best strategy to minimize the risk of getting sick if you've been exposed. Aways wash your hands before you eat or drink and certainly before you touch your face.”