A highly contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea is likely to affect some people in Los Angeles County.
Concentrations of norovirus, sometimes called “winter vomiting disease,” found in wastewater are increasing in the county, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health told the USA TODAY Network in an email on Tuesday, December 16. Officials use wastewater to monitor the presence of infectious diseases within a community, such as norovirus or the virus that causes COVID-19.
The county’s public health department said the detection of norovirus sewage increased by 154% in Los Angeles for three weeks ending on December 11. In Los Angeles County, sewage detection of norovirus increased by more than 250% for the same period.
The detection levels of Norovirus wastewater in the county are higher than the levels reported for the same period last year, according to the public health department.
“Increasing concentrations of norovirus in Los Angeles County indicate that the virus is likely to spread in Los Angeles County,” the public health department said.
Norovirus: How is it spread?
Norovirus is easily spread through direct contact with someone who is infected, eating contaminated food, drinking contaminated water, or touching a contaminated surface and then touching your mouth. That’s why county health officials encourage frequent hand washing, especially before eating or preparing food or using the bathroom, and washing fruits and vegetables “thoroughly.”
While you can get norovirus year-round, people most commonly get it between November and April, according to the California Department of Public Health. Last year, however, the “norovirus season” started earlier than in previous seasons, according to a research letter from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the United States, the norovirus season typically begins in early December, but “the start of the season was in early October 2024,” according to the research letter.
How long does norovirus last?
Symptoms usually last one to three days, according to the California Department of Public Health. Symptoms can begin as early as 12 hours after exposure, according to the county public health department.
How long is norovirus contagious?
According to studies, you can still be contagious for two weeks or more even after you feel better, the CDC said.
Symptoms of Norovirus: Here’s what to watch out for
Norovirus commonly causes vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps. But other symptoms of this can include fever, headache, and body aches.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach it above pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Norovirus ‘likely to spread’ in LA County. It is highly contagious