Highly contagious stomach virus making millions sick

CHARLOTTE — Outbreaks of a nasty stomach virus are spiking, making millions nationwide sick.

Catherine Roberts with Consumer Reports explains how to avoid getting sick and spreading the highly contagious Norovirus.

“If you’ve been hit with a few days of intense nausea and vomiting, there’s a good chance the culprit was a bug called norovirus,” Roberts says. “There can be a ton of this, as many as 21 million cases every year.

Roberts says Norovirus can be mistaken for the stomach flu, but it’s not caused by the same virus, although they have very similar symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, and fever.

“And while norovirus gets a lot of attention for making cruise ship travelers miserable, it can spread quickly in any spot where a lot of people are in close quarters,” said Roberts. “It can stay on surfaces such as doorknobs and handrails for week.”

So, how do you avoid it?

“Unfortunately, there’s no vaccine for norovirus. So, hand washing is really your number one thing. And that means diligently washing hands, frequently washing your hands, and thoroughly washing them with soap and water. Hand sanitizer alone is not going to cut it.”

If someone in your home has gotten sick with norovirus, disinfect contaminated surfaces with bleach-based cleaning products. You can make your own by adding five to 25 tablespoons of household bleach to a gallon of water.

Roberts says to wash linens, towels and clothes that might have been contaminated.

If you get sick, Roberts warns to isolate yourself.

“If you get sick, stay home so that you don’t spread it to anyone else. Just allow the virus to run its course usually about one to three days. Drink a lot of liquids as severe dehydration can land you in the emergency room,” she says.

People who are at risk for dehydration may want to call their doctors to ask about a prescription for anti-nausea.

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