Recently, two cases of norovirus infection were detected in Kerala, India. Ernakulam school was closed for three days to prevent the spread of norovirus. What is Norovirus? Let’s know here.
What is Norovirus?
Norovirus is the term used to refer to a family of viruses that can cause diarrhea and vomiting. Like all viruses that have caused concern for humanity in recent years, norovirus is also highly contagious.
The virus can be transmitted to a healthy person from an infected person through contaminated surfaces or contaminated food. This virus is also known as winter vomiting disease.
Many people around the globe refer to norovirus as the “stomach flu.” However, it is interesting to note that norovirus is not related to common influenza (flu) in any way.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 685 million cases of norovirus infection are recorded annually globally. It’s important to note that about 200 million of these 685 million cases are actually children under 5 years old. This virus is the culprit that causes about 200 deaths each year, of which 50,000 are children. This implies that children are at higher risk of contracting the virus. Additionally, it was found that casualties were higher in low-income countries.
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Notable symptoms of Norovirus
Typically, norovirus symptoms last from 1 day to 72 hours. However, if symptoms last longer than that, one should seek medical attention immediately. One of the main symptoms of norovirus is blood in the stool.
However, what makes the virus difficult to deal with is that sometimes, infected people may not experience any symptoms, making the situation quite complicated. However, this does not mean that an infected person cannot transmit the virus to others.
Here are some of the main symptoms of norovirus:
- Feeling unwell from the inside
What leads to Norovirus? Causes of Norovirus!
Viruses can infect humans in not one but countless ways.
First, close contact with an infected person can lead to the spread of norovirus from an infected person to a healthy person.
Second, touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth increases your risk of infection. Furthermore, drinking contaminated water and food can also lead to norovirus infection.
What makes norovirus difficult to fight is the fact that this virus is resistant not only to high temperatures but also to low temperatures. Furthermore, the virus is also immune to many disinfectants. Not to be missed, norovirus is the most common cause of foodborne illness in the United States.
Norovirus cases in India
Recently on Monday, two confirmed cases of norovirus were observed in Ernakulam district of Kerala, according to the Kerala health department.
According to the Ministry, the infected students are not adults but are actually two first grade students at the school. After testing, two students had symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea and tested positive for norovirus.
If we look at the reports, 62 people, including parents and students, have faced symptoms of the virus. Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, elevated temperature, body aches and headaches. It is not surprising that the virus has aimed to spread widely in a short period of time.
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Source: pagasa.edu.vn