Norovirus Bug On the Rise, New Strain Arrives in Minnesota
A new, extremely contagious norovirus strain, detected last year in Australia, is making Minnesotans miserable.
Although it's the traditional flu that seems to be on everyone’s minds this season, the winter vomiting bug, or the norovirus, is also making the rounds. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the norovirus causes about 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths each year, mostly in young children and the elderly. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pains. The CDC points out that the norovirus is often referred to as the stomach flu, but it is unrelated to influenza. A new norovirus strain, GII.4 Sydney, was detected last year in Australia. The strain hit the U.K and sickened over a million people. It has now reached the United States and this new strain appears to be taking over. …
