College Students at Risk for Norovirus Outbreak

Last week winter break ended and students returned to NDSU ready to start the spring semester. Unfortunately, they brought back germs from across the country along with their tales of the winter holidays. There are the usual colds and coughs that tend to be easy to find on a college campus, but this year there are also unusually high levels of norovirus going around the country, which can be far more unpleasant for a student to contract.

Norovirus is a gastrointestinal virus, more generally referred to as a stomach bug. According to WPR, there was a recent outbreak of the virus at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in December; due to the close quarters that people live and work in on a college campus, it is a prime place for the spread of germs and illnesses.

According to the CDC, symptoms of norovirus include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever and headaches. Symptoms tend to appear 12-48 hours after exposure, and though healthy young adults will typically only be sick for a few days, the virus can have a bigger impact on children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems and other conditions that put them at risk. Even if an infected person is feeling better, they may put more vulnerable members of the community at risk if they aren’t cautious about who they may be exposing to their germs.

Norovirus is so contagious because it only takes a few virus particles for a person to contract the illness, and infected people produce thousands of particles. It can be caught from coming into contact with infected feces or vomit, but that doesn’t mean that only people who directly touch those things are at risk. These particles cling to the infected person and they can transfer them to surfaces that they later come into contact with. If not properly disinfected, these particles can remain on surfaces for several weeks. According to the Mayo Clinic, a person is most contagious when they are experiencing symptoms of norovirus, but they are also contagious before they start to feel sick and for a few days after they recover.

The best way to prevent catching a virus is frequent handwashing. Those living with sick people should frequently disinfect surfaces the virus could be transferred on and avoid sharing foods or utensils with sick people. Those who are feeling sick should avoid going to class or other places where they could spread germs until they have recovered from their illness. There is no direct treatment for norovirus, but lots of rest and clear liquids can help speed recovery and prevent dehydration. People with norovirus should stick to plain foods while they are recovering, since these can be easier on an inflamed gastrointestinal tract and make it easier for the sick person to keep from throwing up.

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