27 Jan 2023 • A private school in Kochi was shut on Monday after two students tested positive for norovirus and 15 others showed symptoms of the highly infectious viral disease, the state health department said. All steps were being taken to localise the infections and contain it, state health minister Veena George said. The infected children were in the age group of 5 to 10 years; some parents also exhibited symptoms. Samples from the children were tested in the regional virology lab in Alappuzha after many of them started vomiting and suffered from diarrhoea.

Norovirus spreads through contaminated water, food and through close contact with an infected person, experts said. It’s main symptoms are diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach pain. It is a treatable disease but highly contagious. Last year, a norovirus outbreak was reported from a men’s hostel in Alappuzha.

How to treat a case of Norovirus Infection?

• Norovirus - causes acute gastroenteritis and symptoms typically include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, fever & headaches. People acquire the virus by ingesting material contaminated with small amounts of infected feces or fluids. Food and water may be contaminated during processing or handling.
• There is no specific treatment for norovirus, but it is important that infected people stay well hydrated. Intravenous fluids may be needed if the person cannot maintain an adequate oral intake of fluids. Complications are usually related to the degree of dehydration. The illness usually lasts two to three days and resolves by itself. Source: HT| Read full story