A highly contagious norovirus is surging across America, infecting millions of residents and causing widespread illnesses. According to the CDC, there are about 20 million U.S. residents infected annually, with 2,500 reported outbreaks each year.
In Washington state, King County’s health department reported two recent outbreaks in October 2024 and August 2024, while Pierce County had at least one outbreak during the same period. The FDA issued a safety alert to warn consumers about shellstock oysters harvested between December 2-17, 2024.
The CDC recorded 1,078 reports of norovirus outbreaks across the U.S. from August 2024 to January 2025, a 94% increase from the same period last year. The virus can spread through human contact and survive on environmental surfaces and in food.
Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, fever, headaches, body aches, and dehydration. Infected individuals should seek medical help if experiencing severe dehydration, prolonged vomiting or diarrhea, or underlying health conditions.
To prevent norovirus, the CDC recommends washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, cooking meats to an internal temperature of 145 degrees, and using gloves and bleach to clean infected areas. Those already infected can manage symptoms by staying hydrated, resting, consuming plain foods, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and taking over-the-counter medications carefully.
Note: The information in this article is based on data available up to December 2023 and may not reflect the current situation.
Source: https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article299373434.html