Author
Bowtie Team
Updated on
2025-07-30
Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
Norovirus is a common culprit behind non-bacterial gastroenteritis, with mild symptoms that usually clear up on their own. Dive into Bowtie’s expert guide on its causes, transmission paths, symptoms, treatments, and smart prevention tips to stay healthy.
What is Norovirus?
Norovirus (also known as Norwalk virus) is a common virus that causes acute gastroenteritis. People usually get infected by eating undercooked shellfish. It spreads through contact with infected individuals, consuming contaminated food or water, or touching contaminated surfaces. Norovirus is especially common in winter and often occurs in crowded places like schools, nursing homes, hotels, playgrounds, and cruise ships. Anyone of any age can be affected.
How Does Norovirus Spread?
Norovirus can spread through these 4 main ways:
- Eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the virus
- Contact with vomit or feces from infected people
- Touching contaminated objects
- Through virus-laden droplets produced during vomiting
Symptoms of Norovirus
The incubation period for norovirus is 12 to 48 hours, and symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Stomach pain
- Mild fever and discomfort
Norovirus Treatment Methods
If infected with norovirus, medication is usually not needed, and antibiotics are ineffective against this virus. Instead, patients should stay hydrated with plenty of fluids like water or electrolyte drinks—avoid caffeinated beverages or alcohol—to prevent dehydration from diarrhea or vomiting. With enough rest, recovery typically happens naturally within 1 to 3 days.
For severe symptoms, such as persistent vomiting or diarrhea, hospitalization may be required for intravenous fluids to replenish water and electrolytes and alleviate the condition.
How to Prevent Norovirus?
There is currently no vaccine to prevent norovirus. We can pay more attention to personal, environmental, and food hygiene in three key areas to reduce the risk of norovirus infection causing acute gastroenteritis:
Personal Hygiene
- Always keep your hands clean, especially before handling food or eating, and after using the toilet. When washing, use soap and water, rub for at least 20 seconds, rinse thoroughly, and dry with paper towels or a hand dryer.
- If handwashing facilities aren’t available or your hands aren’t visibly dirty, consider using hand sanitizer with 70-80% alcohol. But remember, alcohol can’t effectively kill norovirus, so it doesn’t replace good old soap and water.
- When cleaning or handling vomit or feces, wear gloves and a surgical mask, and wash your hands thoroughly afterward.
- If you’re experiencing fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, skip work or school and see a doctor right away.
- Patients or carriers should avoid handling food or caring for children, the elderly, or those with weakened immunity.
Environmental Hygiene
- Keep indoor air circulating well.
- Clean up vomit or feces immediately and disinfect contaminated areas properly (check the disinfection guidelines below for details); during cleanup, keep others away from the area.
- Ensure sanitary facilities and drainage systems are working properly.
- Thoroughly clean and disinfect toilets used by patients and any areas contaminated by excrement.
Food Hygiene
- Follow the five keys to food safety when handling food: choose wisely (pick safe raw ingredients), stay clean (keep hands and tools spotless), separate raw and cooked (don’t mix them up), cook thoroughly (make sure it’s fully done), and store safely (at the right temperatures) to prevent foodborne illnesses.
- Stick to boiled tap water or bottled drinks from trusted sources.
- Steer clear of beverages made with ice from unknown sources.
- Buy fresh food from hygienic, reliable spots—skip unlicensed vendors.
- Generally, fruits with thoroughly washed peels are fine. But to lower disease risk, especially when traveling, peel them before eating raw.
- Ensure all foods (especially shellfish) are fully cooked before eating.
- Vulnerable groups like pregnant women, infants, young children, the elderly, and those with weak immune systems should avoid uncooked foods (such as shellfish, especially raw oysters) or items with raw ingredients (like pre-made salads).
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