Powerful Norovirus Spreads Across America

While America is still fighting the flu, another warning is going to hit the nation. According to the top scientists, a new sprain of a kind of powerful norovirus is contaminating people across the country. This virus causes a serious type of stomach flu that spreads easily but difficult to prevent.

Epidemics have described it as ‘superbug’ that has been ripping across the country and making people severely ill. The virus was first identified in Australia. Every year, this virus affects almost 21 million USA people of which almost 800 people die.

It spreads very fast. Compared to the common flu, it is scarier, faster moving, and harder to treat.

The flu virus is usually found in the air where it spreads through sneezes and coughs. However, while you have to inhale almost 1,000 particles of common virus to get ill, only 18 particles of norovirus will do the job. Plus, it is so contagious that you can pick up this virus by merely touching a place where a norovirus-affected person put his/her hands two weeks ago.

Regular flu virus can survive for two to eight hours on hard surfaces like coffeemakers, doorknobs, or on revolving doors. However, norovirus can survive for weeks and be infectious on the same places.

The virus will not be cleared off even if you clean your home regularly with regular detergents. You have to use bleach in order to clean it off. A good way to prevent the contamination is to wash the hands over and over. In this case, water and good old soap will be effective. Hand sanitizers that work fine for common flu is ineffective for norovirus.

In most of the cases, the virus makes people horribly suffer for two to three days. Affected people need to take plenty of water and other liquids to get over quickly.

Image Courtesy: www.indiaondemand.com