Preventing norovirus from attending holiday gatherings

Tis the season to share your dinner table with relatives and friends. The holiday season hits just after Montana DPHHS logged in 7 gastrointestinal (GI) outbreaks in the first three weeks of November.

Five of these GI outbreaks have been caused by norovirus, a bug that causes 1-3 days of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea sometimes accompanied by fever, chills and body aches. It is highly contagious and can be spread either directly from a sick person, or indirectly from contaminated food or commonly touched surfaces such as doorknobs, remote controls, faucet handles, etc.

Norovirus is the leading...