Norovirus

Norovirus is the most common cause of foodborne-disease outbreaks in the United States. It is a very contagious; you can get it from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed (acute gastroenteritis). This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up. Anyone can be infected with norovirus and get sick. Also, you can have norovirus illness many times in your life. This illness can be serious, especially for young children and older adults. It is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States. Each year, it causes 19-21 million illnesses and contributes to 56,000-71,000 hospitalizations and 570-800 deaths.

The best way to help prevent norovirus is to practice proper hand washing and general cleanliness.

• Carefully wash fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating them. Cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly before eating them.
• Be aware that noroviruses are relatively resistant. They can survive temperatures as high as 140°F and quick steaming processes that are often used for cooking shellfish.
• Food that might be contaminated with norovirus should be thrown out.
• Keep sick infants and children out of areas where food is being handled and prepared.

When you are sick, do not prepare food or care for others who are sick

• You should not prepare food for others or provide healthcare while you are sick and for at least 2 to 3 days after you recover. This also applies to sick workers in settings such as schools and daycares where they may expose people to norovirus.
• Many local and state health departments require that food handlers and preparers with norovirus illness not work until at least 2 to 3 days after they recover. If you were recently sick, you can be given different duties in the restaurant, such as working at a cash register or hosting.

Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces

• After throwing up or having diarrhea, immediately clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces. Use a chlorine bleach solution with a concentration 5–25 tablespoons of household bleach per gallon of water or other disinfectant registered as effective against norovirus by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Wash laundry thoroughly
Immediately remove and wash clothes or linens that may be contaminated with vomit or stool (feces).

• Handle soiled items carefully without agitating them,
• Wear rubber or disposable gloves while handling soiled items and wash your hands after, and
• Wash the items with detergent at the maximum available cycle length then machine dry them.

Follow these guidelines and keep your family safe and healthy!

_{Norovirus. Retrieved March 12th, 2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/about/overview.html}