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| NOROVIRUS (cont.) | |
| Division of Public Health Services Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers | |
| Bureau of Infectious Disease Control REVISED –January 2018 | |
| NOROVIRUS | |
| What is Norovirus? | |
| Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause the | |
| “stomach flu”, or gastrointestinal (stomach or | |
| digestive) illness. Norovirus infection occurs | |
| occasionally in only one or a few people or it can | |
| be responsible for large out breaks, such as in | |
| long-term care facilities. | |
| Who gets Norovirus? | |
| Norovirus infects people of all ages worldwide | |
| and anyone can become infected. There are many | |
| different strains of norovirus, which makes it | |
| difficult for a person’s body to develop long | |
| lasting immunity. Therefore, Norovirus illness | |
| can reoccur through a person’s lifetime. In | |
| addition, because of differences in genetic factors, | |
| some people are more likely to become infected | |
| and develop more severe illness than others. | |
| How does someone get Norovirus? | |
| Norovirus is spread from person to person via | |
| fecal-oral route, but can also be spread through | |
| the air during vomiting. Good hand washing is | |
| the most important way to prevent the | |
| transmission of Norovirus. Outbreaks have been | |
| linked to sick food handlers, ill healthcare | |
| workers, cases in facilities such as nursing homes | |
| spreading to other residents, contaminated | |
| shellfish, raw or unpasteurized milk, and water | |
| contaminated with sewage. | |
| What are the symptoms of Norovirus? | |
| The most common symptoms include nausea, | |
| vomiting, watery diarrhea, and stomach cramps. | |
| Fever is usually low grade or absent. Infected | |
| people generally recover in 24- 60 hours and | |
| serious illness rarely occurs. | |
| How soon after exposure do symptoms | |
| appear? | |
| Symptoms of Norovirus illness usually begin | |
| about 24 –48 hours after ingestion of the virus. | |
| How is Norovirus infection diagnosed? | |
| Laboratory diagnosis can be performed in the | |
| New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories when | |
| there are multiple cases. Diagnosis is often b ased | |
| on the combination of symptoms and the short | |
| time of the illness. | |
| What is the treatment for Norovirus | |
| infection? | |
| No specific treatment is available. People who | |
| become dehydrated might need to be rehydrated | |
| by taking liquids by mouth. Occasionally, a | |
| patient may need to be hospitalized to receive | |
| intravenous fluids. | |
| How can Norovirus be prevented? | |
| While there is no vaccine for Norovirus, there are | |
| precautions people should take: | |
| Wash hands with soap and warm water | |
| after using the bathroom and changi ng | |
| diapers | |
| Wash hands with soap and warm water | |
| before preparing or eating any food | |
| Cook all shellfish thoroughly before eating | |
| Wash raw vegetables before eating | |
| Dispose of sewage in a sanitary manner | |
| Who should be excluded? | |
| Food handlers, healthcare worke rs and childcare | |
| workers should be excluded for 48 hours after | |
| resolution of symptoms. Children with non - | |
| specific diarrhea should be excluded until | |
| symptoms resolve. | |
| NOROVIRUS (cont.) | |
| Division of Public Health Services Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers | |
| Bureau of Infectious Disease Control REVISED –January 2018 | |
| Reportable? | |
| No. Norovirus is not reportable by New | |
| Hampshire state law to the Division o f Public | |
| Health Services, Bureau of Infectious Disease | |
| Control. However, Public Health Professionals | |
| are available for consultation at (603) 271-4496. | |
| For further information, refer to the Centers for | |
| Disease Control and Prevention website at: | |
| https://www.cdc.gov/ | |
| Or the NH Department of Health & Human | |
| Services website at: | |
| https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/ | |