Nasty Norovirus

Gastrointestinal illness is never pleasant—but norovirus is particularly distasteful. A norovirus infection can cause repeated bouts of diarrhea and vomiting, which further spreads the virus on contaminated surfaces, foods, and through close contact with infected people. People who are infected with norovirus shed billions of virus particles in their feces and vomit.1 And it takes fewer than 100 tiny virus particles to make someone else sick.1

That’s why the idea of a norovirus outbreak strikes fear into the staff of daycare centers, schools, healthcare facilities, cruise ships, and other group settings.