Norovirus Bug On the Rise, New Strain Arrives in United States
A new norovirus strain was detected last year in Australia and has reached the United States
Although the flu is on everyone’s mind this season, the winter vomiting bug, or the norovirus, may be the one to really watch out for. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the norovirus causes about 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths each year, mostly in young children and the elderly. And the particularly virulent bug is marching its way through Rhode Island 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 more than a million people. It has now reached the United …
