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Highly Contagious 'Winter Vomiting Disease' Is Making the Rounds Again — Here's What to Know

The majority of positive cases of the disease are being recorded from the Northeast and Midwest regions.

PUBLISHED 1 HOUR AGO

A sick man covering his mouth. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Edward Jenner)

When a highly contagious disease begins to spread from one person to another at a rapid pace, it raises immediate concern among health officials and the general public. In extreme cases, such outbreaks can even disrupt the functioning of educational institutions and offices, strain hospitals, and spark nationwide alerts, as even a minor rise in cases can create chaos. In recent news, it has now been revealed that a highly contagious norovirus, often called the ‘winter vomiting disease,’ is rapidly spreading across the country. The situation is concerning because the cases have been reported and are growing faster than expected.

A woman is feeling sick. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Bymuratdeniz) — A woman is feeling sick. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Bymuratdeniz)

Reports show that of all the norovirus tests, around 14% tested positive during mid-November, which is twice the roughly 7% positivity rate recorded three months earlier. Previously, December 2024 marked the largest number of positive norovirus cases, and after that peak, positivity rates slowly declined for several months—until now. Dr. Donald Dumford, an infectious disease physician at the Cleveland Clinic, spoke about the scenario and said, “It [norovirus] typically causes a combination of vomiting and diarrhea.” He went on to claim, “It does look like this year, wastewater is getting contaminated a lot earlier than it was last year,” as reported by Fox8.

Most of the positive cases of the disease are being recorded from the Northeast and Midwest regions, where wastewater levels have climbed to their highest points. Moving ahead, apart from the above-mentioned symptoms, nausea, stomach pain, and dehydration are a few other common symptoms to watch out for. Dumford revealed, “Symptoms usually last about two to three days, although you are considered contagious two to three days after you stop having symptoms. So, after you’ve had a case of infectious diarrhea, you’re not preparing food for two to three days to protect everyone around you.”

A woman suffering from stomachache (Representative Image Source: Pexel | Sora Shimazaki) — A woman suffering from a stomachache (Representative Image Source: Pexel | Sora Shimazaki)

With the holiday season now beginning, celebrations and family get-togethers are in full swing, making it especially important to take extra precautions right now. Additionally, while norovirus can spread quickly among people of any age, it's worth noting that young children and older adults face the greatest risk of any kind of serious illness. Along with this, anyone who consumes raw oysters or other shellfish that filter water may also be exposed to the contagious disease, and in this case, repeat infections are quite common, as there are multiple types of noroviruses.

Meanwhile, right now, norovirus has no targeted treatment, but symptoms usually resolve within one to three days if appropriate care and precautions are taken. Experts reveal that frequent handwashing is the key to preventing norovirus transmission. They also suggest thoroughly cooking the shellfish before consuming, washing fruits and vegetables, and regularly disinfecting surfaces. But if you are already facing the symptoms, it is advised to stay hydrated with fluids containing electrolytes, get plenty of rest, and stick to bland and easily digestible foods to ease symptoms and recover quickly.

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