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Norovirus surging in Brevard County
FOX 35's Esther Bower learns more as the norovirus is surging in Brevard County.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Norovirus is surging, and health officials are battling what they’re calling one of the worst outbreaks ever recorded during this time of year.
Doctors say people are getting sick at an alarming rate, and the virus is spreading fast.
"It’s just worse in numbers. It’s broad, it’s infecting a lot of people," said Dr. Timothy Laird, who practices family medicine at Health First.
The Goss family dealt with the virus firsthand recently.
"I got it after that," said Krissy Goss, noting how the sickness infected multiple family members quickly.
Goss says she got it from her grandkids, who struggled for about a week with symptoms.
"She felt terrible for about three days, pretty intestinal and a little bit of throwing up," said the grandmother.
Norovirus is surging across the country right now, with 91 individual outbreaks nationwide recorded in the first week of December.
That’s the highest spike since 2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
So why are cases rising? Doctors say one reason is because good hygiene took a backseat post-pandemic.
"COVID is not in the news as much that people aren’t as good at handwashing," added Dr. Laird.
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Fewer people washing their hands is a big problem for this specific stomach bug.
"Alcohol hand gels, while really useful for a lot of infections, are not useful for Norovirus," said the doctor.
Laird says handwashing is your best bet to stay healthy, and people trying to avoid getting sick agree.
"No matter what it is, wash your hands. Make sure you stay clean," said Raphael Roderer.
You should also stay away from cooking for other people for at least 30 days after you get sick.
"You’re very contagious while you’re sick, but you can shed this virus for up to a month afterwards," said Laird.
Most people can fight the bug off on their own in one to three days, but children under one-year-old and seniors should be carefully observed for severe symptoms.
"They’re pretty darn healthy, so it hit my granddaughter pretty bad for her to be sick for four days," concluded Goss.
You should seek emergency care if you are super-dehydrated, light-headed or notice blood in your waste. These are not normal.
FOX 35 reached out to the Brevard Department of Health for exact cases in the area. The agency told us in an email statement, "Norovirus is not a reportable disease/condition in the state of Florida. The best way to prevent norovirus is to practice proper hand-washing and general cleanliness."
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health First physician Dr. Timothy Laird, and Brevard Department of Health.