Health officials around the Carolinas are trying their best to persuade people to prevent the spread of viruses by simply washing their hands often with soap and water. This winter there were norovirus outbreaks on a cruise ship out of Charleston and also at a teen conference in Raleigh.
Unfortunately, noroviruses are very common and contagious. They can cause a uncomfortable gastrointestinal illness which may result in quite a bit of vomiting and some diarrhea. This type of virus is spread through direct contact with a person who already has the virus. This occurs when someone touches a contaminated surface or eats or drinks contaminated food or water.
It usually spreads easily in schools, long-term care facilities, child care centers, restaurants and other settings where there are numerous amounts of people. That’s why it is so common for children to get this illness. It is very important to inform children of the necessity to frequently wash hands.
The symptoms that come with the illness include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping. Some people may also get a fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. The short-lived illness begins very suddenly and usually only lasts from 1 to 2 days. The elderly and young children can easily and quickly get dehydrated and may need medical care. Extreme cases may even require hospitalization. For this reason, it is very important to make sure a person with this illness gets plenty of fluids.
Currently there are no special medicines that can treat norovirus. Protect yourself by washing hands often. It is particularly important to wash hands after using the restroom and before preparing, serving or eating food or drinks. Do not prepare food if you are sick and for at least 48 hours after you have been sick.
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