Norovirus is one of a group of intestinal viruses that cause inflammation of the stomach and intestines. According to the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this typically results in cramping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Each year, the disease causes as many as 20 million illnesses; more than 60,000 hospitalizations; and as many as 800 deaths.

The CDC reports the following are some of the most common ways the disease spreads:

• Eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus
• Touching surfaces or objects with norovirus on them and then putting your hand or fingers in your mouth
• Having direct contact with a person who is infected with norovirus

However, norovirus has its own characteristics—idiosyncrasies, if you will—that differentiate it from other viruses. Let’s take a look.

Norovirus Comes on Fast

A mother was putting her young daughter to bed. She had been playing all day and seemed perfectly fine. "Around 4 a.m. she comes in and says, 'Mommy, my stomach hurts,'" says Angie Riley, the girl’s mother. She began vomiting and within 24 hours her brother was sick as well. Over the next several hours, other students at her school came down with the disease and the school ended up closing for two days.

Norovirus moves quickly. When someone comes in contact with the germs and bacteria that cause norovirus, they typically become sick in about 12 hours. By comparison, many other viruses take two to three days before symptoms begin.

Norovirus is Seasonal

Norovirus is seasonal, occurring most often from November to April. While seasonality can be true of other viruses, it is very common with norovirus. The specific reason for this is not fully understood. According to one public health official, among the reasons are the following three elements:

• Biological factors, meaning the virus tends to have a longer survival time in the winter months
• Environmental factors; specifically changes in temperature and humidity, which can make it more prevalent at certain times of the year
• Behavioral factors, such as when we are in closer contact with many others; for example, on a cruise ship or at holiday times when we travel and have guests in our homes

Outbreaks Can Happen Anywhere

Some viruses are most frequently spread in schools or in the home. But norovirus, because it is so often spread due to contaminated food, can be contracted just about anywhere. Many people associate  norovirus and cruise ships. This is because the illness can spread so quickly on a cruise ship that it gets a lot of media attention when it happens. Even if tiny droplets of the virus land on surfaces or food that is later touched or consumed by passengers on a ship, the chances are high the disease will spread to those people.

However, the most common reported settings for norovirus outbreaks according to the CDC are:

• Healthcare facilities, long-term care facilities and nursing homes
• Restaurants and food-service facilities
• Catering or banquet facilities
• Schools and university campuses
• Private homes

Here's a Norovirus Outbreak 2017 Map to see where the virus is impacting the U.S. at this time.

Fortunately, ways to stop the spread of norovirus are not as strange as the disease itself. In fact, they are often pure and simple common sense. And because norovirus is so often spread by food, whether processing, preparing, or marketing food items, DayMark offers the following prevention tips for food-service workers:

• If you’re sick, stay home and do not return to work for 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
• Wash hands frequently, especially before and after removing gloves.
• Wear disposable gloves ; there are different types of disposable gloves for all types of cooking and food preparation tasks as well as when working with steam pans, dishwashers, and hot and liquid items. Proper hygiene apparel should also be worn.
• To prevent cross-contamination, change disposable gloves and hygiene apparel when they become soiled; when changing tasks; when handling raw meats; and at least once every four hours during continual use.
• Finally, as simple as it may sound, kitchen safety posters should be displayed in key areas of a food-service area to continually reinforce health and safety measures that protect the health of your staff and the many customers they serve.

For more information on preventing norovirus and ways to keep food healthy and safe, contact a DayMark Safety Systems representative.