• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home Science & Environment

New Strain of Norovirus May Be Causing Uptick In Cases todayheadline

February 7, 2025
in Science & Environment
Reading Time: 6 mins read
A A
0
New Strain of Norovirus May Be Causing Uptick In Cases
10
SHARES
22
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Every winter, public health departments report a rise in illnesses. Most of these infections are expected during the colder months, and the data features the usual lineup of suspects — acute bronchitis, influenza, pneumonia, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

This year has also seen a surge in norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug. Starting November 2024, the percentage of positive tests for norovirus began to increase, which is to be expected in the colder months when people begin to congregate inside more. But by January 2025, almost one-quarter of the tests were positive, nearly double the rate of last season’s outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Although the stats may seem scary, scientists know why norovirus infections are soaring this year. And they have advice on how people can protect themselves. 

Symptoms of Norovirus

Norovirus, also known as the stomach flu, is a virus that hits the stomach and intestines, causing irritation and inflammation. Symptoms typically come on quickly and often violently. People experience diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, and vomiting.

Norovirus might seem similar to food poisoning, and both are common illnesses, but the pathogens are distinct. In a typical year, as many as 1 in 15 people in the U.S. will contract norovirus. Most people recover on their own within a few days, but about 109,000 will require hospitalization, and 900 will die.

“Norovirus is a common virus that is the main cause of gastroenteritis in the U.S., causing about 60 percent of all cases — the majority of ‘stomach bugs’ that people develop,” says Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., a physician and the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). 

How Does It Spread?

Norovirus spreads easily in places where people congregate, like schools, nursing homes, and restaurants. Cruise ships have also been susceptible to norovirus, and outbreaks are tracked by the CDC. Already, two ships in January 2025 were identified as having norovirus. 

Norovirus is a hardy bug, which makes it easier to spread between people. “Norovirus is stable on surfaces for many hours and is not affected by the use of hand sanitizers or mild household cleaners. It also easily passes from person to person through contaminated food or water or when people share utensils,” Hopkins says. 

The reason hand sanitizer can’t kill the bug is because the virus does not have an outer coating. “Norovirus is covered by a protein capsid that is only disrupted with soap and water or bleach solutions,” Hopkins says.

And this year, new strains of norovirus are introducing people to a bug in which they lack immunity.


 Read More: What are Different Types of Food Poisoning and How Can You Avoid Them?


A Surge in Norovirus for 2025

More people are dealing with norovirus this year for a couple of reasons. First, people don’t have long-lasting immunity to norovirus. A 2013 study in Emerging Infectious Diseases found that immunity to norovirus may be as short as four years for adults, although some people may have protections for up to eight years. 

So, a bad bout in 2015 may remain strong in a person’s memory, but by 2025, their immune system has likely forgotten the incident and lacks natural protections. 

The other reason norovirus is surging this year is because new strains have been introduced. “Surges with up to 50 percent more illness occur in seasons during which a new strain emerges,” Hopkins says. 

Starting in September, Hopkins says the U.S. saw the emergence of a new strain, genogroup II genotype 17 [P17]. Although the strain has been documented in other countries, it is new to the U.S., which means people here lack immunity.

Regardless of whether a person comes into contact with the standard or new strain, the outcome will likely be the same. Most people who contract norovirus will experience symptoms for a few miserable days and then return to their regular lives. 

But the bug can cause serious complications and even death for young infants and older adults if they experience severe dehydration and circulatory collapse, Hopkins says.

Norovirus vs. Food Poisoning

Avoiding food poisoning means steering clear of undercooked, spoiled, or contaminated items. Prevention involves throwing out expired items, handling raw meat carefully and cooking items to the right temperature. 

However, avoiding norovirus involves a completely different plan of attack because it spreads through a fecal-oral route. This means a person with the bug sheds billions of microscopic particles when they experience diarrhea or vomiting.

If the infected person fails to wash their hands properly, they can spread norovirus on surfaces ranging from a door handle to tongs sitting by a breakfast buffet. When the next person touches the door knob or the tongs, the virus spreads to their skin. If they touch their mouth or eat with their unwashed hands, they will ingest the virus and become infected themselves.

“The best advice to prevent the spread of norovirus is to wash hands well with soap and water,” Hopkins says. 

People may also benefit from sanitizing surfaces with bleach-based cleaning products such as wipes or sprays. If a person does contract the bug, they will likely show symptoms between 12 and 48 hours. The symptoms can be similar to food poisoning, and only testing will determine whether a person has norovirus. 

Regardless of whether a person has food poisoning or norovirus, the care plan will be the same, “hydration, rest, and time,” Hopkins says.


Read More: What’s the Difference Between Influenza and Stomach Flu?


Article Sources

Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:


Emilie Lucchesi has written for some of the country’s largest newspapers, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and an MA from DePaul University. She also holds a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Illinois-Chicago with an emphasis on media framing, message construction and stigma communication. Emilie has authored three nonfiction books. Her third, A Light in the Dark: Surviving More Than Ted Bundy, releases October 3, 2023, from Chicago Review Press and is co-authored with survivor Kathy Kleiner Rubin.

Tags: infectious diseasesmicrobes & virusesviruseswellness
Previous Post

What Trump’s first weeks back in office mean for space

Next Post

Federal employees union grows to record size amid DOGE attacks todayheadline

Related Posts

Vital for Bone Health, Vitamin D May Also Slow Aging at the Cellular Level

Vital for Bone Health, Vitamin D May Also Slow Aging at the Cellular Level todayheadline

May 24, 2025
4
Laser experiment

This Laser Breakthrough Can Read Text on a Page From a Mile Away : ScienceAlert todayheadline

May 24, 2025
6
Next Post
Federal employees union grows to record size amid DOGE attacks

Federal employees union grows to record size amid DOGE attacks todayheadline

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0
Suspect sent to psychiatric clinic – DW – 05/24/2025

Suspect sent to psychiatric clinic – DW – 05/24/2025

May 24, 2025
How commercial drones turn deadly in Gaza

How commercial drones turn deadly in Gaza

May 24, 2025
Israel may change tack to allow aid groups in Gaza to stay in charge of non-food aid - National

Israel may change tack to allow aid groups in Gaza to stay in charge of non-food aid – National

May 24, 2025
Egypt Independent

Trump’s image of dead ‘white farmers’ came from Congo, not South Africa

May 24, 2025

Recent News

Suspect sent to psychiatric clinic – DW – 05/24/2025

Suspect sent to psychiatric clinic – DW – 05/24/2025

May 24, 2025
0
How commercial drones turn deadly in Gaza

How commercial drones turn deadly in Gaza

May 24, 2025
4
Israel may change tack to allow aid groups in Gaza to stay in charge of non-food aid - National

Israel may change tack to allow aid groups in Gaza to stay in charge of non-food aid – National

May 24, 2025
4
Egypt Independent

Trump’s image of dead ‘white farmers’ came from Congo, not South Africa

May 24, 2025
3

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

Hong Kong woman reports HK$20,000 camera lens stolen at Raymond Lam Fung concert

Hong Kong woman reports HK$20,000 camera lens stolen at Raymond Lam Fung concert

May 24, 2025
Suspect sent to psychiatric clinic – DW – 05/24/2025

Suspect sent to psychiatric clinic – DW – 05/24/2025

May 24, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co