Norovirus infections can occur at any time of the year, but are frequent during winter months, when colder weather drives people indoors and festivities bring people together, hence the popular name “winter vomiting bug.”
Many students returned from break feeling unwell, with flu, colds, or stomach bugs. Some, like Anastasia Leyva ’25, may have unknowingly had norovirus. “I wasn’t feeling well, but I didn’t go to the doctor because I didn’t want to miss school, so I just labeled it as a common stomach bug,” she said. Her symptoms included headache, cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Without going to the doctor to receive accurate results, the virus is challenging to distinguish without laboratory testing.
Norovirus is a genus of viruses belonging to the family Caliciviridae. It is considered the most common cause of inflammation of the stomach and intestines throughout the world. The virus is known to cause sudden symptoms, including vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
People first acquire the infection by consuming food or drinks contaminated by someone already infected, consumption of raw shellfish, and contact with contaminated objects then touching your mouth without washing your hands. The disease usually lasts for 1 to 3 days. Hydration, rest, and medication are required. According to the CDC, norovirus is estimated to cause 900 deaths annually worldwide, while 21 million cases lead to 109,000 hospitalizations. These deaths typically “occur in low income countries due to limited access to health care.”
Currently there is no specific antiviral treatment available; however, the Nova 301 Trial is a study evaluating the effectiveness of the mRNA-based vaccine, mRNA-1403. The trial began in September 2024, and will run until May 2027. Until then, raising public awareness of the outbreaks is considered the best approach to limiting the spread. Many cases are sometimes misattributed to food poisoning or the flu, so it’s helpful to remember that infections spread quickly among household members and in school settings.
