Last week, the Crown Princess and Ruby Princess cruise ships were hit by outbreaks. The Crown Princess was disinfected, and began a new cruise, only to be turned around, due to another outbreak.
Norovirus usually comes on suddenly, causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
It is extremely contagious. You can get infected with as little as 10 particles of the virus, which is why the virus is so hard to stop.
"There is no medical intervention to prevent the spread. the way to prevent spread is really with hygiene, says Dr. Brent Simmons, a family doctor with Drexel College of Medicine.
Simmons says it is a hard virus to kill. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers aren't very effective on it.
So handwashing, with plenty of soap and water, to take the virus off your hands, works better - if you do it often.
And if the virus gets into your house, take a tip from the cruise ship cleaning teams - keep all surfaces clean.
Dr. Simmons says, "This is one of the things that can be spread just from touching an infected surface, like a doorknob or a handrail."
Don't forget to clean computer keyboards, TV remote controls, and cell phones!
Norovirus can also be spread through food.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than half of the foodborne illness outbreaks are caused by norovirus.
If you get sick, drink plenty of liquids - dehydration can bring on more serious problems.
And when you start to feel better, don't hurry back to work or school.
"You could potentially be contagious for 72 hours after symptoms go away," says Dr. Simmons.
As for the illness itself, it typically lasts one to two days.
Because it's a virus, there's no real treatment. Unfortunately it just has to run its course.
The biggest risk, however, is dehydration. Some people will need to be treated with IV fluids.
Sometimes they can also give anti-nausea medication to help with symptoms. But as we said it unfortunately has to run its course. toss back.
