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\nEach year on average in the United States, norovirus\u2014
\nYou can get norovirus illness at any time during the year. But, it is most common in the winter. Also, there can be 50% more norovirus illness in years when there is a new strain of the virus going around.
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See also:
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\nMost outbreaks of norovirus illness happen when infected people spread the virus to others. But, norovirus can also spread by consuming contaminated food or water and touching things that have the virus on them.
\nNorovirus is the leading cause of illness and outbreaks from contaminated food in the United States. About 50% of all outbreaks of food-related illness are caused by norovirus. Food can get contaminated with norovirus at any point when it is being grown, shipped, handled, or prepared.
\nFoods that are commonly involved in outbreaks of norovirus illness are\u2014
\nBut, any food that is served raw or handled after being cooked can get contaminated.
\nTo search for foodborne outbreaks caused by norovirus, go to the Foodborne Outbreak Online Database (FOOD).
\nNorovirus in Healthcare Facilities
\nHealth care facilities, including nursing homes and hospitals, are the most commonly reported settings for norovirus outbreaks in the United States and other industrialized countries (see Norovirus in Healthcare Settings). Over half of all norovirus outbreaks reported in the United States occur in long-term care facilities.
\nThe virus can be introduced into healthcare facilities by infected patients\u2014who may or may not be showing symptoms\u2014or by staff, visitors, or contaminated foods. Outbreaks in these settings can be quite long, sometimes lasting months. Illness can be more severe, occasionally even fatal, in hospitalized or nursing home patients compared with otherwise healthy people.
\nNorovirus in Restaurants and Catered Events
\nMost norovirus outbreaks from contaminated food occur in food service settings like restaurants. Infected food workers are frequently the source of these outbreaks, often by touching ready-to-eat foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables, with their bare hands before serving them. (See For Food Workers: Norovirus and Working with Food.) Foodborne outbreaks of norovirus illness have also occurred in banquet halls, and even at family dinners, where people eat food handled or prepared by others.
\nNorovirus outbreaks can also occur from fecal (stool) contamination of certain foods at their source. For example, oysters harvested from contaminated water and raspberries irrigated with contaminated water have caused norovirus outbreaks.
\nNorovirus on Cruise Ships
\nOver 90% of diarrheal disease outbreaks on cruise ships are caused by norovirus (see Facts about Noroviruses on Cruise Ships). Norovirus can be especially challenging to control on cruises ships because of the close living quarters, shared dining areas, and rapid turnover of passengers. When the ship docks, norovirus can be brought on board in contaminated food or water or by passengers who were infected while ashore. Repeated outbreaks on consecutive cruises may also result from infected crew or environmental contamination. This is because norovirus can persist on surfaces and is resistant to many common disinfectants.
\nNorovirus in Schools and Other Institutional Settings
\nNorovirus outbreaks occur in a range of other institutional settings, for example, schools, child care centers, colleges, prisons, and military encampments. Norovirus outbreaks on university campuses have led to campus closures. Norovirus was the most common cause of gastroenteritis in U.S. Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom and a common cause of outbreaks among British troops deployed to Iraq during 2002 to 2007.
\nNorovirus outbreaks have also been caused by contaminated water from sewage in wells and in recreational water settings, such as pools and lakes.
\nFor more information, see the \u201cFor Public Health Professionals\u201d section of this Web site.
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