Officials warn of norovirus in Tri-Cities

An infographic with details on how people can protect themselves against norovirus.
The Benton-Franklin Health District has guidance on how to protect against norovirus. (Courtesy: Benton-Franklin Health District)

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The Benton-Franklin Health District is reporting a sharp rise in norovirus, a highly contagious virus that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and fever.

People across the country are seeing some of the worst norovirus outbreaks in years, said Dr. Steve Krager, health officer for the Benton-Franklin Health District.

“We seem to be, unfortunately, bearing some of the brunt of that,” he said. “We’ve just had some large outbreaks the last couple months that have made us concerned.”

Norovirus is spread through contact with infected people and surfaces, and is often mistaken for food poisoning. While it can be difficult to differentiate the two, Krager said, norovirus typically starts with vomiting and progresses to diarrhea. It usually passes within a few days.

The virus is highly contagious and hard to kill, Krager said.

“  It’s not usually killed by hand sanitizer, so you really need to wash your hands with soap and water really well. Especially if you’re taking care of someone who’s sick,” he said. “Especially if you, yourself, are sick.”

 Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water, as well as staying home for 48 hours when you’re sick, are effective ways to prevent its spread.

Additionally, Krager recommends disinfecting surfaces, especially high-contact spots like doorknobs, with a bleach solution or with products labeled as effective at killing norovirus.

Infants, people 65 or older and those who are immunocompromised are at a greater risk of serious complications.

People should see a doctor if they have more severe symptoms such as bloody stool, a fever lasting several days or trouble staying hydrated, Krager said.