Norovirus Rates Are Rising: Here’s the 411 on the Stomach Flu
Black Health Matters
Providing information and resources about health and wellness within the African American community.
Winter brings sniffly noses, cramping stomachs, and monstrous migraines when ailments like norovirus pop up. Known as cold and flu season, winter is the perfect breeding ground for transmitting nasty viruses because people are confined indoors, connecting in closer quarters than usual.
What Is The Norovirus?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea.” The organization says that norovirus cases are on the rise. They have an intrastate network that helps monitor the spread of norovirus throughout the country by reporting instances of new cases in real time to a group data pool called NoroStat. A recent report from this network revealed that “During August 1, 2024 – January 15, 2025, there were 1,078 norovirus outbreaks reported by NoroSTAT-participating states.” This was a sharp upswing from their previous reporting because “during the same period last seasonal year, there were 557 norovirus outbreaks reported by these states.”