Winter is the cold season and a popular time for parties and celebrations around the World. Winters can be tricky as the season is home to the perfect pathogen!
Winter is and has always been norovirus season, and it’s not uncommon to see cases rising at this time of the year.
The contagious Norovirus, known for causing inflammation of the stomach and intestines, is on the surge. The bug, which causes intense but blessedly short episodes of vomiting and diarrhoea — with or without a brief period of fever, chills, and body aches — has been on the rise in the United Kingdom.
National surveillance data shows laboratory reports of the virus are 66 percent higher than the average at this time of year. UKHSA states that present norovirus cases have not been seen in over a decade, which is alarming!
Dr. Lesley Larkin, Surveillance Lead, Gastrointestinal Infections and Food Safety (One Health) Division at UKHSA, said:
“Norovirus levels are currently the highest we have seen at this time of year in over a decade. Most reported cases are in the over 65s, and we also see a rise in reported outbreaks, particularly in the care home settings.”
The First Outbreak of Norovirus
Since 1929, Norovirus has been known to medical science when a pediatrician described “winter vomiting disease.”
In 1968, an outbreak at a Norwalk, Ohio, elementary school was tentatively linked to a virus, which was termed the “Norwalk virus.” In the 1990s, scientists began more in-depth investigations of the virus’s genes and proteins, eventually concluding that Norwalk was a member of a group of 150 or more related human viruses, renamed “Noroviruses”— that all cause similar symptoms.
As scientists understood Norovirus better, it gained the nickname “perfect pathogen.”
Everything You Need to Know About Norovirus
Norovirus is an ingenious creation of nature, given the name “The Perfect Pathogen.”Norovirus’s round blue ball structure comprises a protein surrounding the virus’s genetic material. The virus attaches itself to the surface of intestinal cells and then transfers its genetic material into them.
Once the genetic material has been transferred, the Norovirus replicates, eventually killing the human cells and releasing new copies of itself that attach to more intestinal lining cells.
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines).Norovirus is often called by other names, such as winter vomiting disease and stomach flu or bug.The illness caused by it is generally mild, and people usually recover fully within two to three days.
How did the Pandemic leave us more vulnerable to this particular Virus?
The recent pandemic did leave us more vulnerable to Norovirus than we were a few years ago.
The preventative measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19, which intensified during last winter’s omicron peak, were also potent against the spread of Norovirus. The lifting of the pandemic restrictions, school closures, childcare precautions, wearing of face masks and regular hand washing, and avoiding public gatherings led to an interruption in norovirus spread — and, therefore, an interruption in norovirus immunity.
So, because of the pandemic, people were less likely to have been exposed to Norovirus, which may make them more susceptible now.
What are the first signs of Norovirus?
The following are the first signs and symptoms when contracting Norovirus.
How does Norovirus spread?
Humans are the only host of Norovirus, and Norovirus has several mechanisms similar to the influenza virus that allow it to spread quickly and easily.
One can get Norovirus from an infected person through the fecal-oral route, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. Norovirus outbreaks usually occur in public settings, including healthcare facilities, restaurants, catered events, schools, and childcare centres.
How to stop it from passing on?
It is a dire need to prevent Norovirus and follow a particular infection, prevention and control plan. Hence, every individual can play a vital role by creating awareness among the general public. If you hear someone has caught it, think NORO and Stop Norovirus.
What to do if you catch this stomach bug?
Following are some key points and measures to remember if you catch Norovirus as there is no treatment for Norovirus, so you have to let it run its course.
- Although getting sick is unpleasant, the good news is that Norovirus is short-lived and should be out of your system within 1 to 2 days. Diarrhoea may last a little longer.
- There is neither a vaccine to protect against norovirus nor a drug to treat it.Even antibiotic drugs will not help treat norovirus infections because they fight bacteria, not viruses.
- If you have norovirus illness, drink plenty of liquids to replace fluid lost from vomiting and diarrhoea. This will help prevent dehydration.
- Take paracetamol for any fever or aches, and get plenty of rest by staying at home.
- If you think you’ve caught Norovirus, it’s important not to visit hospitals, your GP surgery, friends, or relatives in care homes or other public spaces.If you feel your symptoms have aggravated, contact NHS.
- Avoid cooking and helping prepare meals for others until 48 hours after symptoms have stopped, as Norovirus can spread through contaminated food when it is handled by people shedding the virus.
- Wash any contaminated clothing or bedding using detergent at 60°C, and if possible, wear disposable gloves to handle contaminated items.
- Use bleach-based cleaning products to eliminate germs on dirty surfaces.
While Norovirus is easily spread, the abovementioned precautions can significantly reduce your risk of contracting it this winter. Practicing good hygiene and avoiding contact with others while infected are necessary to safeguard yourself and others from the virus’s spread. Furthermore, it is essential to increase awareness about Norovirus and its transmission in public, take necessary precautions, and increase reporting of cases to stop it from passing.
References
- Blog Editor. (2022, November 17). Norovirus: What to do if you catch it and help to stop the spread. UK Health Security Agency.
- Norovirus – please don’t help pass it on – East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. (2017, November 30).
- Landman, K. (2023, February 17). Norovirus: Why it’s on the rise, its symptoms, and how to treat it. Vox.
- Norovirus: The perfect pathogen
- UK Health Security Agency. (2023, February 9). Norovirus cases have increased significantly in England. GOV.UK.
