A suburban Chicago school district transitioned to remote learning due to illnesses and a hospital issued a warning after “dozens of cases” of a highly contagious and hard to kill stomach virus were reported in the last week alone.
A number of diseases tend to peak in the winter, thanks to indoor gatherings that help germs spread. The list includes not only colds and flu but also norovirus — a highly infectious cause of vomiting and diarrhea. Norovirus cases have generally been trending up in the last month.
While national data appears to show signs of decline, health departments and hospitals in the Chicago area have reported a rise in cases.
Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C in Plainfield transitioned to eLearning Thursday “due to widespread illness.” All after school and club activities were also canceled Wednesday.
The district said in a letter to parents that it was “experiencing an increase in student and staff absences due to illness, which led to the decision to transition to an eLearning Day out of an abundance of caution.”
The symptoms were consistent with stomach illnesses, the district said.
“There has not been a confirmed diagnosis of a specific illness,” the letter read. “We have been in communication with the Will County Health Department and have followed their guidance, including limiting in-person activities involving food and drink to help reduce the potential for further transmission.”
The district could not provide further details on how many illnesses were reported but said “the increase in absences reached a level that made in-person instruction difficult to safely and effectively maintain.”
Silver Cross Hospital in nearby New Lenox put out a warning Wednesday after its emergency department reported “dozens of cases” of norovirus in the last week.
“Experts report norovirus has been growing since mid‑October. It spreads easily in schools, buses and homes—anywhere people gather. And with the holidays upon us, unfortunately, it’s the gift that keeps giving,” the hospital said in its alert.
The DuPage County Health Department put out a social media alert to residents earlier this month warning that “cases of norovirus are continuing to increase.”
“Norovirus is very contagious, and anyone can get infected and sick,” the health department wrote on Facebook.
According to the CDC, “norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea.”
It is sometimes referred to as the “stomach flu” or a “stomach bug” or “winter vomiting disease.”
The disease is known for spreading quickly and being particularly hard to kill.
“Norovirus is a very contagious stomach virus,” Dr. Gregory Striegel, a family medicine doctor with Silver Cross Medical Group in Orland Park, said in a statement. “It can cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, mild fever and body aches. It spreads quickly, especially in the cold months when people are indoors together.”
Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C said it plans to thoroughly clean and sanitize all buildings over winter break.
“The district will continue to monitor attendance and health conditions and looks forward to welcoming students and staff back following winter break on January 7,” the letter stated.
Dr. Jonathan Martin, an infectious disease physician with Cook County Health, said the rise in cases this time of year is not uncommon, but the virus is not one that is typically tested for and the spread could be even higher than what has already been reported.
“That’s one of the viruses that we don’t routinely test for. It is a clinical diagnosis, and it would be rare that someone who is not hospitalized is actually tested for that virus,” he told NBC Chicago.
Wastewater data has also shown a spike in cases across parts of the Midwest.
“It is very hardy,” Martin said. “Because of that … it’s not uncommon for everybody in the household to get this infection.”
Symptoms of Norovirus
Symptoms typically develop within 12 to 48 hours after exposure, according to health experts.
“Acute onset” cases often present “pretty typical symptoms” like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to Martin.
The CDC notes that while diarrhea, vomiting and nausea are among the “most common,” other symptoms include “fever, headache, and body aches.”
The virus can be differentiated from other winter viruses because it doesn’t often include symptoms like congestion or cough, Martin said.
“If it’s isolated just to the GI tract, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, odds are that’s the virus that you’re dealing with,” he said.
Still, complications with the virus could require more medical attention, the most prominent of which is dehydration.
“It would be important if you do have this infection, if you are having multiple bouts of these episodes at home, it would be important to keep yourself hydrated,” Martin said. “Any amount of fluids that you can keep in your body would be helpful. And if you start to fall behind on your fluids, if you start to feel sicker, if you have high-grade fevers, or if you start to feel more tired and fatigued, it would be important to contact your doctor because that would be one of the thresholds to go seek care.”
Symptoms of dehydration include:
- Decreased urination
- Dry mouth and throat
- Feeling dizzy when standing up
- Crying with few or no tears
- Unusual sleepiness or fussiness
Children younger than 5 years old, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are at an increased risk for developing severe infections.
How long is norovirus contagious?
The CDC notes that those who contract the virus “can still spread norovirus for two weeks or more after you feel better.”
“Most people with norovirus illness get better within one to three days; but they can still spread the virus for a few days after,’ the CDC reported.
The virus can spread from having direct contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food or water and touching contaminated surfaces and then putting your hands in your mouth, health officials said.
“You can get norovirus illness many times in your life because there are many different types of noroviruses. Infection with one type of norovirus may not protect you against other types,” the CDC states.
Norovirus Prevention
Because norovirus is so contagious and particularly resistant, it can be hard to prevent in those who are exposed.
“It stays on commonly used things like countertops and toilet bowl seats and in bathrooms and because it’s very hardy, it is not killed by your standard alcohol-based hand sanitizers,” Martin said.
That’s why it’s important to use soap and water when washing hands.
“If you are going to try and clean it, you need to use a bleach-based cleaner to actually kill this virus because it is very hardy,” he added.
Those who are sick should also take measures to help keep the virus from spreading.
“It would be important if you do think that you have this virus, if you are ill, to stay home, to not leave the house, to avoid infecting other people, and also make sure that your hands are washed and the areas around you are clean,” Martin said.
The CDC recommends the following precautions:
- Wash your hands well and often.
- Cook shellfish thoroughly and wash fruits and vegetables.
- Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces.
- Wash laundry in hot water.
- Stay home when sick for 2 days (48 hours) after symptoms stop.
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