epilogue
Xiaomei is a new mother who is less than 30 years old.
Her 5-year-old son, Xiaobao, was playing in kindergarten when he suddenly started vomiting and had a fever.
After receiving a call from the teacher, Xiaomei rushed to the kindergarten and sent Xiaobao to the hospital.
In the hospital, Xiaobao was diagnosed with norovirus.
The doctor told Xiaomei that this is a very common intestinal infection in children.
It is transmitted by the fecal-oral route and is very susceptible to infection in crowded places such as kindergartens.
Xiaomei was very worried and asked the doctor, "What harm will norovirus bring to the child, and will I need to be hospitalized?"
The doctor smiled and comforted: "Norovirus mainly causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting, and generally does not cause serious consequences.
Most children recover after 3-4 days, and do not need to be hospitalized, just rest and drink plenty of water at home. "
Xiaomei breathed a sigh of relief, but asked again: "There are other children in the kindergarten who are also infected, and I am worried about cross-infection." "
"The transmission rate of norovirus among close contacts is very high, reaching more than 50 percent," the doctor said.
Therefore, kindergartens should allow all children who may have been exposed to the virus to go home and isolate, and at the same time do a good job of disinfection to prevent the virus from spreading further. "
What is Norovirus?
The name norovirus may not sound as loud as the coronavirus, but it's a true master when it comes to contagion.
The virus mainly attacks the digestive system of people, causing gastrointestinal-related symptoms in infected people, most typically vomiting and diarrhea.
Vomiting is usually more pronounced in children, while diarrhea is more common in adults.
While the illness caused by norovirus may sound serious, it is not so dangerous that it can cause fatal consequences. Most people recover after receiving proper treatment.
It should not be overlooked that norovirus is extremely contagious.
Scientific studies have shown that only a tiny amount of virions, about 18, is enough to infect others.
Isn't it amazing that an infected person can excrete billions of virus particles?
Norovirus is also highly variable.
This means that just when we may still be dealing with one strain, another new variant may have quietly emerged.
Even people who have been infected with norovirus in the past have only a short period of immune protection, which makes it possible for the same person to be infected with the same type or different types of norovirus multiple times at different times.
These properties allow norovirus to spread unusually quickly among people.
Sometimes, if only one student in a class is infected, it is likely that most of the students will soon collapse.
Public health authorities and everyone need to be vigilant about how to control and prevent the spread of norovirus, and take effective prevention and control measures.
What are the symptoms after infection?
The symptoms of norovirus infection are usually noticeable, and the onset is unusually rapid.
The most common manifestations of the virus include nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Especially in children, these symptoms tend to be more intense, manifesting as frequent vomiting and diarrhea, or even both.
After norovirus infection, people usually begin to develop symptoms within 24 to 48 hours, a period known as the incubation period.
The suddenness of the illness is a characteristic of norovirus, and children may be laughing and playing one moment, and the next moment they suddenly become languishing and begin to experience violent vomiting and diarrhea.
With regard to vomiting, children usually vomit food that they have ingested, and the vomit usually has a sour taste but is not unusual in color.
As for diarrhea, the patient's stool may be watery or like egg drop soup, and there will usually be no mucus or blood stains.
In the early stages of the disease, incompletely digested food debris can sometimes be seen in the stool.
How can norovirus be prevented?
1. Healthy lifestyle habits
To avoid norovirus infection, it is crucial to practice good hygiene.
1. Avoid direct contact with ready-to-eat food with your hands.
2. Wash your hands frequently, especially after handling food or going to the toilet.
3. Do not drink untreated water.
4. Raw food and cooked food should be separated to avoid cross-contamination.
2. Environmental disinfection
Once a cluster or outbreak of norovirus is detected, disinfection is particularly important.
1. Treatment of vomit and feces
- Draw with a disposable absorbent material (e.g., gauze) and cover the contaminated area with a disinfectant solution to clean carefully.
- Soak in disinfectant solution for 30 minutes.
2. Disinfection of floors, walls and surfaces
- Start by cleaning up any visible contaminants.
- Soacate, spray or wipe furniture and fixtures with a disinfectant solution containing available chlorine, apply for 30 minutes and then wash with water.
3. Handling of clothing and textiles
- Avoid raising dust during handling.
- Dirty laundry should be removed from solid dirt and soaked in disinfectant solution for 30 minutes before washing.
4. Cleaning of eating and drinking utensils
- After removing food debris, boil and sterilize the dishes for 30 minutes, or soak them in disinfectant solution for 30 minutes before washing.
3. Personal protection and air quality
If the skin is contaminated, it should be wiped immediately with 0.5% iodophor disinfectant, and then washed with water.
Make sure that there is good air circulation in the room, which can be kept fresh by natural ventilation or by using an air sterilizer.
4. Management of patient utensils
Patients are advised to use dedicated toilets and toilets to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus.
In the event of vomiting, it should be cleaned and disinfected immediately and crowds should be avoided.
How is norovirus treated?
There is currently no drug or vaccine against norovirus.
Most people recover in about a week after infection.
When norovirus invades, it can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and possibly fever.
For these mild to moderate cases of nausea and vomiting, medication is generally not needed, but if the condition is more severe, some antiemetics may be necessary under the guidance of a doctor.
As for fever, you can cool down by physical methods such as applying a cold towel to your forehead and taking medicine according to your doctor's instructions
In the unfortunate event of frequent vomiting and diarrhoea, it is important to maintain a balance of fluids and electrolytes.
However, if there is blood in the vomit, signs of suspected dehydration (e.g., no urination for more than 8 hours, dry mouth, crying without tears, etc.), or a body temperature that soars above 40°C, you should seek medical help immediately.
epilogue
As norovirus is a viral infection, the use of antibiotics may disrupt the balance of the intestinal flora and worsen the symptoms of diarrhoea.
Don't self-administer antibiotics to try to treat a norovirus infection unless specifically instructed by your doctor.
In the face of norovirus, adequate rest and proper hydration are key to recovery.
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