Norovirus

In News 

• At least two cases of Norovirus have been found in Thiruvananthapuram among lower primary school students.

What is Norovirus?

• About:
  • It is a highly contagious virus that is also sometimes referred to as the ‘stomach flu’ or the ‘ winter vomiting bug’.
  • It can be transmitted through contaminated food, water, and surfaces. 
    • The primary route is oral-faecal.
  • It is similar to diarrhoea-inducing rotavirus and infects people across age groups.
  • Disease outbreaks typically occur aboard cruise ships, in nursing homes, dormitories, and other closed spaces.
  • It is associated with intestinal inflammation, malnutrition and may cause long-term morbidity”. 

• Symptoms: 
  • Vomiting and/or diarrhoea, which show up one or two days after exposure to the virus.
  • Patients also feel nauseous, and suffer from abdominal pain, fever, headaches and body aches. 
  • In extreme cases, loss of fluids could lead to dehydration.
• Precautions: 
  • Repeatedly washing hands with soap after using the lavatory or changing diapers. 
  • It is important to wash hands carefully before eating or preparing food.
  • During outbreaks, surfaces must be disinfected with a solution of hypochlorite at 5,000 parts per million.
  •  Those infected should avoid contact with others and avoid preparing food for others while sick and for two days after symptoms stop.
• Treatment: 
  • Diagnosis is done by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. No vaccines are available for the disease.
  • It is important to maintain hydration in the acute phase. In extreme cases, patients have to be administered rehydration fluids intravenously.

Source:IE