The Winter Disease that is on the Rise

To put it bluntly, you know you’ve got it when you start vomiting.

An increasing number of people at this time of year are either laid up with a bucket by their side or are in front of the latrine — and health officials want you to know as much as possible about winter vomiting disease, as it’s being called.

The highly contagious illness is more commonly known as the norovirus. Not only can it incapacitate you for days, it can be deadly. While everyone is susceptible, the very young, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems are at highest risk of developing complications such as dehydration.

“Vomiting is the hallmark of the disease,” said Dr. Lon Kightlinger, a South Dakota epidemiologist.

Health officials say every year around the holidays, these cases spike because more people gather in close quarters. But California appears to be the hardest hit. The state’s Department of Public Health is reporting hundreds of people sick, with 32 different outbreaks throughout the state alone — numbers that are far higher than last year.

Outbreak alerts have also been issued for northern Minnesota and for Michigan, according to healthmap.org, which monitors outbreaks with real-time surveillance of emerging public health threats.

The virus is the most common cause of foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each year, the virus causes 19 million to 21 million illnesses, contributes to 56,000 to 71,000 hospitalizations, and is responsible for 570 to 800 deaths.

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While some people typically chalk any winter illness up to “the flu,” winter vomiting disease will most likely include abdominal pain, diarrhea and maybe a fever, according to Amy Saupe, an epidemiologist with the Minnesota State Department of Health.

Symptoms of the infection start showing up within 12 to 48 hours after a person has been exposed to the virus. Public health officials say the GI virus causes vomiting and diarrhea for up to three days in a row.

The best possible way to avoid catching the norovirus, or any other virus this winter, is to be vigilant about washing your hands and avoid touching your face. The ailment is easily spread through contaminated food and water, or by touching tainted surfaces and then touching your mouth. It is also transmitted through hand-to-hand contact.

Related: Flummoxed by the Flu Shot? Don’t Be.

“The virus is very hardy,” Saupe told LifeZette. It remains viable for a few weeks and a sick person remains infectious for several weeks. “You continue to shed that virus.”

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not effective against the virus, according to the CDC. Soap and the scrubbing action are what eliminates the bug, said Saupe.

To stay safe, wash fruits and vegetables before eating; cook meat, fish and chicken thoroughly; and follow through by using meticulous cleaning practices at home, such as wiping down surfaces and equipment carefully with bleach.

“A 5 percent bleach solution will kill the virus,” Kightlinger said.

Related: Flu Season’s Germiest Places

While vaccine trials are in progress, there is no preventative vaccine, and a person can get the norovirus more than once, experts said. Once you’ve contracted the illness, the best treatment is to stay hydrated, stay close to a bathroom and be thorough about hand washing. If you don’t improve in a day or so, seek medical attention, said Kightlinger of South Dakota.

Most importantly: “Stay home, especially if you are a food worker or a health care worker,” he said.