US Sees Surge in Norovirus Cases Ahead of Winter, Experts Warn
The winter season is typically associated with the flu, but another nasty germ is making its presence felt - norovirus. According to recent surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases of norovirus are on the rise, with lab test positivity rates doubling in some areas.
This comes as no surprise, given that norovirus is a highly contagious foodborne illness that spreads rapidly through crowded environments like cruise ships, schools, and hospitals. In fact, between August 2024 and July 2025, the CDC documented over 2,675 outbreaks in the US, almost double the number reported in the same period last year.
The early data suggests that this winter will be just as bad for norovirus as last year's record-breaking surge, with Wyoming, Nebraska, and Oklahoma currently experiencing high numbers of reported cases. With more people spending time indoors during the cold months, the conditions are ripe for norovirus to spread rapidly.
So what can you do to protect yourself? First and foremost, washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly and cooking shellfish to an adequate temperature are crucial steps in reducing your risk of catching and spreading the illness. Cleaning kitchen utensils, cutting boards, and surfaces is also essential, as well as thoroughly washing your hands after handling uncooked food.
If you're feeling queasy, it's best to avoid direct contact with others and stick to hand sanitizer, but be aware that even hand sanitizer won't work against norovirus. With the holidays approaching, this may prove to be a challenging task, especially for families gathering around the table.
As one can attest firsthand, norovirus is no laughing matter - it's an experience best avoided. Luckily, scientists are working on developing effective vaccines to combat the illness, and one hopes that these will become available sooner rather than later.
The winter season is typically associated with the flu, but another nasty germ is making its presence felt - norovirus. According to recent surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases of norovirus are on the rise, with lab test positivity rates doubling in some areas.
This comes as no surprise, given that norovirus is a highly contagious foodborne illness that spreads rapidly through crowded environments like cruise ships, schools, and hospitals. In fact, between August 2024 and July 2025, the CDC documented over 2,675 outbreaks in the US, almost double the number reported in the same period last year.
The early data suggests that this winter will be just as bad for norovirus as last year's record-breaking surge, with Wyoming, Nebraska, and Oklahoma currently experiencing high numbers of reported cases. With more people spending time indoors during the cold months, the conditions are ripe for norovirus to spread rapidly.
So what can you do to protect yourself? First and foremost, washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly and cooking shellfish to an adequate temperature are crucial steps in reducing your risk of catching and spreading the illness. Cleaning kitchen utensils, cutting boards, and surfaces is also essential, as well as thoroughly washing your hands after handling uncooked food.
If you're feeling queasy, it's best to avoid direct contact with others and stick to hand sanitizer, but be aware that even hand sanitizer won't work against norovirus. With the holidays approaching, this may prove to be a challenging task, especially for families gathering around the table.
As one can attest firsthand, norovirus is no laughing matter - it's an experience best avoided. Luckily, scientists are working on developing effective vaccines to combat the illness, and one hopes that these will become available sooner rather than later.
but at the same time, I don't know if I can really prevent norovirus or even want to try 
like, what's the point of washing your hands 10 times if you're still gonna get it? And can we please talk about how crowded places are just going to keep spreading it no matter what? 
on the other hand, I'm all for getting a vaccine ASAP because that sounds like a solid plan to avoid getting sick altogether 
.
. It's not like it's going to kill you or anything! I mean, I know it's uncomfortable, but we've been living with norovirus for years and we're still kicking 
. And honestly, if you're worried about getting sick just because of some random virus, you need to relax and take a chill pill 
. Wash your hands, cook your food, boom! You're good to go. Don't overthink it, folks. We're not going to die from norovirus this winter... probably 
i feel bad for all those people stuck at home sick as heck 
gotta make sure u wash ur hands like a million times after handling food, don't even get me started on cooking shellfish lol 
anyway hope they come out with a vaccine soon bc this is just too much drama 
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so i'm reading this article about norovirus cases surging ahead of winter... sounds like no big deal right? 
what's concerning is that it's not just a matter of washing your hands (although hand sanitizer can only go so far) but also the whole foodborne illness thing - think about all those people cooking in close quarters at family gatherings... 
what about all the research and data? where's the source? 
. And to make matters worse, it's gonna be even harder to keep ourselves & our loved ones safe with all the travel & gatherings during the holidays. Thoroughly washing those fruits & veggies is a must, don't even get me started on shellfish 
. Cleaning up after cooking is key too. I hope scientists can speed up that vaccine development tho... we need this ASAP!
also heard some friends talking about how it's worse on cruise ships 
like, who even goes on a boat during winter lol 
anyway, just remember: hand sanitizer is NOT the answer 
but seriously, make sure u cook ur shellfish right and clean those kitchen surfaces. and honestly, if u do get sick, just stay home and don't risk spreading it to others. i know its not the most fun way to spend the holidays, but better safe than sorry 
Norovirus is like the ultimate party crasher – it shows up uninvited and makes a mess wherever it goes. And let's be real, who needs a holiday dinner with family when you can have stomach churning, explosive diarrhea instead? 
I mean, who needs personal space or social gatherings when you can just isolate yourself in the bathroom? 
We drove all night and watched the sunrise over the mountains... anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, norovirus! So, have you ever had one of those days when everything just feels off? Like, your stomach is churning and you're all queasy, but you can't quite put your finger on what's wrong 
Anyone else getting a little anxious about catching it? At least we can take some precautions, right? Thoroughly washing our veggies and cooking our shellfish to the right temp is key. I'm definitely stocking up on hand sanitizer just in case I need it. Fingers crossed those vaccines come out soon so we don't have to deal with another nasty outbreak! 
. And don't even get me started on trying to avoid it altogether - good luck with that, right? 
It's all about how fast outbreaks can spread. With everyone cooped up indoors, it's just asking for trouble. So yeah, wash those fruits and veggies, cook your shellfish like a pro, and don't be afraid to use hand sanitizer (just remember, it's not a magic bullet 
). And if you do start feeling queasy, just take it easy and isolate yourself from the fam... trust me, you won't regret it. 
What's next? We should be worried about food poisoning too?! I swear, back in my day, we didn't have all these fancy germ-fighting vaccines... we just used a little bit of common sense and elbow grease to get through it 
. Now everyone's so caught up on 'germ warfare' they've forgotten how to just take care of themselves