What is the Norovirus

Posted by: abouthygiene 6 years, 9 months ago

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Norovirus is one of the most common causes of gastroenteritis. Symptoms include - nausea (often sudden onset), vomiting (often projectile) and watery diarrhoea. Symptoms begin around 12 to 48 hours after becoming infected. The illness is usually brief, with symptoms lasting only about 1 or 2 days. Most people make a full recovery within 1-2 days, however some people (usually the very young or elderly) may become very dehydrated and require hospital treatment.

What should I do if I think I have norovirus?
You should seek medical advice. More information on norovirus can be found on the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) website.

How is norovirus spread?
Noroviruses are very contagious and can spread easily from person-to-person. Both the faeces and vomit of an infected person contain the virus and are infectious. People infected with norovirus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill to 2/3 days after recovery. Some people may be contagious for as long as 2 weeks after recovery.

It is important for people to use good handwashing and other hygienic practices after they have recently recovered from norovirus illness. In addition, noroviruses are very resilient and can survive in the environment (e.g. on surfaces) for many weeks. 

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