Mount Sinai NY
3-03-2023 11:15pm

Stomach virus making its way through Long Island: What to know

A severe stomach illness that is spreading around Long Island and many other parts of the United States may not affect you personally, but you undoubtedly know someone who does.

In both infants and adults, norovirus, a highly contagious virus, causes severe gastroenteritis and inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It refers to stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting; it often occurs between November and April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Emergency departments in Nassau and Suffolk counties have seen an increase in patients recently who have norovirus or similar symptoms similar to it, which can cause dehydration and other problems.

While what may appear to be an unexpected rise in cases, the CDC reported that the national trend in norovirus incidence this season is comparable to years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to COVID-19 defenses such as masking and social seclusion, norovirus has recently decreased in prevalence, much as many other infections. When the number of COVID-19 cases reduced, many of those regimens ended.

“It’s a highly contagious v, 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's symptom, and that cat’s how you can get household outbreaks.”

Here is what you need to know about norovirus.

How does norovirus spreAccording to the CDC, 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

The CDC states that consuming contaminated food or water, coming into close contact with an infected person, touching contaminated surfaces and then putting your unwashed hands in your mouth are all ways to contract norovirus.

One of the most important safety measures is washing your hands, especially after using the restroom. According to Dr. Adam Berman, associate chair of emergency medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, this is why it spreads among schoolchildren who are among others and might not wash their hands as frequently or thoroughly as adults.

When is a person most infectious?

If you are aware of someone else's symptoms, Berman advised avoiding them until they begin to subside. Individuals are most contagious in the first 24 to 72 hours following the onset of their symptoms; during this time, they are more likely to spread the illness to others by touching objects that have been contaminated, thus it is important to use hand sanitizer.

Does hand sanitizer work?

When is a person most infectious?

If you are aware of someone else's symptoms, Berman advised avoiding them until they begin to subside. Individuals are most contagious in the first 24 to 72 hours following the onset of their symptoms; during this time, they are more likely to spread the illness to others by touching objects that have been contaminated, thus it is important to use hand sanitizer.

If someone terrible bad symptoms, how do they know whether to stay home or go to the emergency room?

Those who experience severe diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps may become weak and dehydrated. According to Bulbin, symptoms usually go away in two to three days for most people. If you can hydrate yourself, even only with water and rest, you can stay at home.

But, if symptoms persist, you find it difficult to swallow liquids, you are too weak to perform daily activities, and you observe a marked decline in your ability to urinate, it may be time to consult a doctor, according to Berman.

But isn’t this just a stomach virus? Is it that serious?

According to the CDC, norovirus is thought to be responsible for 900 annual deaths in the United States, largely in people 65 and older, and 2.2 million outpatient clinic visits, mostly in young children.

Everyone should take the norovirus seriously, according to experts, especially the elderly and those with underlying medical concerns. Such issues may worsen throughout a norovirus infection.

It's possible that someone's extreme dehydration reveals their atrial fibrillation, according to Bulbin. "They start to beat quickly, and that needs to be managed."

Does the CDC track norovirus cases across the U.S.?

A CDC spokeswoman stated that although 19 to 21 million infections linked to norovirus occur each year, norovirus is typically not reported by sufferers. State and local health departments provide data on norovirus outbreaks to the CDC, and clinical laboratories that voluntarily report norovirus cases provide information on norovirus cases.

According to specialists, the majority of norovirus cases are not likely to be diagnosed because the symptoms are typically treated with rest and fluids.

What is the link between norovirus and food?

The greatest cause of illnesses and outbreaks from tainted food in the United States, according to the CDC, is norovirus. Ready-to-eat foods, such as washed raw fruits and vegetables for salads or sandwiches, baked products, or items that have already been cooked, might be contaminated by infected food workers. The norovirus is "difficult to destroy and remains on food, kitchen surfaces, and utensils," the FDA claimed.

What are Shigella infections? Why did the CDC put out an alert on them?

Shigellosis is an infection that causes domestically acquired and travel-associated bacterial diarrhea in the United States, according to the CDC, despite the fact that the symptoms can be identical to those of norovirus. It typically results in inflammatory diarrhea and can cause fever and cramps in the abdomen. An upsurge in illnesses that are drug-resistant has been observed by the CDC. According to Long Island hospital systems, this doesn't seem to be a problem there.

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