Norovirus is hitting the US hard—and it’s ruthless
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“Only in retrospect are we going to know if the number of norovirus cases really is surpassing those in the past.” — Shruti Gohil, MD
Find more of your peers' perspectives and insights below.
Norovirus is hitting the United States—hard.
According to the most-recently available CDC data, state health departments reported 91 norovirus outbreaks during the week of December 5, 2024.[] The figure is more than double the highest number of US norovirus outbreaks that state health departments reported during the same week between 2021 and 2024.
The drive in numbers is worrisome alone, but patient reports from the current outbreak speak to a particularly virulent strain, with symptoms resembling much more dire medical issues.
@user9099213187219 i thought i was genuinely dying the cramps were SO BAD #norovirus ♬ Bitter Sweet Symphony - Remastered 2016 - The Verve
“I am pregnant and I thought I was having a miscarriage. [I] couldn’t even hold down water,” said one in a comment under the above video.
“It landed me in the hospital for 4 days. It’s no joke! Now I have acute gastritis from it,” said another under a different video in which a patient explains how her norovirus symptoms lasted for almost 2 weeks straight.[]
What’s driving the numbers?
It is unclear why norovirus numbers are so much higher this year than in previous years. However, the upward trend could reflect an increase in travel and a relaxation of the public health safety measures that people followed more closely in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shruti Gohil, MD, Associate Medical Director of Epidemiology and Infection Prevention and of Infectious Diseases at UCI Health, says that an increase in post-COVID get-togethers and a decrease in strict cleaning protocols could be influencing virus trends.
Dr. Gohil notes, however, that this cannot be known for certain until additional research has been conducted and more time has passed. “Only in retrospect are we going to know if the number of norovirus cases really is surpassing those in the past,” Dr. Gohil says.
How to cope with the surge
Whether numbers are influenced by a post-COVID world or other factors, norovirus cannot be ignored.
Amid this year’s norovirus surge, practicing—and encouraging your patients to practice—public health safety measures, such as maintaining good hand hygiene and disinfecting surfaces, is critical to reducing the risk of getting sick. While these may seem like simple steps to follow, don’t overlook their importance in fighting the virus, which spreads easily.
“Norovirus is highly contagious,” Dr. Gohil says. “It's extremely good at its job.”
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