There is currently an outbreak of the norovirus, a virus that occurs mostly during the winter season, spreading through Raleigh. 

 “Outbreaks are only the tip of the iceberg,” Otto Simmons, biological and agricultural research assistant professor, said.

Symptoms include fever, headaches, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Not many people make an appointment with their doctors or local health centers because their symptoms pass. This leaves a large number of unknown outbreaks unrecorded.

The case of the norovirus is mild, and it is also hard to assess where it comes from because there are so many different pathways the virus can travel through, according to Simmons.

The virus can easily infect others through exposure, so it is crucial to adequately wash hands after using the bathroom and clean up after. The virus can also spread through water and food. If a restaurant-worker or food-handler hasthe norovirus and does not wash their hands, the virus can easily seep into foods they are preparing or packaging.

Humans tend to catch the virus from being in environments with close proximities such as cruise ships, daycare centers, and nursing homes. People who have been affected and cured from the virus can still shed it for three weeks in the bathroom stool. The norovirus is an equal opportunity infector that affects a wide range of people. 

If a person has the symptoms, it is encouraged that he or she stays home to keep from exposing it to others. He or she should also be extremely careful in cleaning up any vomit or diarrhea by using gloves or disinfecting Clorox wipes or bleach. 

It is also important to drink plenty of fluids, according to Simmons. Gatorade is recommended.

There is nothing doctors can do except provide IV therapy for loss of fluids.  Most people deal with symptoms at home and stay hydrated. 

“Noroviruses were responsible for 68 percent of viral food borne viruses and illnesses,” Simmons said.

Simmons described the virus as a really stressful time with explosive vomiting. There were times that he thought he would die and times that he wished he had died. 

“It was horrible. The worst part of it was feeling dehydrated,” Ariel Hickerson, senior in Psychology said.

Hickerson caught the virus from a friend in Sanford, where she resides. She said that classes were cancelled in community colleges around Sanford because no one could attend class. 

The norovirus was discovered during the 1960s in Norwalk, Connecticut. It was unlike any other virus because of its small round structure. 

Lee-Ann Jaykus, food, bioprocessing, and nutrition sciences professor, leads a group on campus, called NoroCORE.  The purpose of the group is to provide fellowships and develop research about the norovirus. 

The CORE stands for collaborative outreach research education. It is a strong research collaborative of 10-12 universities working on different aspects to understand and control viruses. 

Jaykus and Simmons work on undergraduate and graduate curriculum on food-borne viruses. Simmons also works with farmers and develops education material about fresh produce and other foods. 

Humans are the host of the norovirus and are transmitted by exposure. The norovirus is highly infectious and spreads from person to person.

It only takes 24-48 hours to ingest the virus. Symptoms may only last a day or two causing people to think they only have a stomach bug.