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Norovirus cases on the rise ahead of Sundance Film Festival

Norovirus test tube
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Norovirus cases on the increase in Summit County.

Although not specifically a winter virus, the number of norovirus cases in Summit County is climbing along with flu, Covid and RSV. Health experts report victims of norovirus often assume they have food poisoning which is usually not the case.

Norovirus is very contagious, and the Director of the Summit County Health Dept. Phil Bondurant said anyone can easily get infected and sick with it.

“When we don't wash our hands well, and we have individuals preparing food or they use the restroom and haven't washed their hands well, and they find themselves grabbing a doorknob or a door handle, even a sink,” Bondurant said. “And then we expose ourselves to that and then touch our hands to our mouth without washing them. Unfortunately, we get exposed to it as well. And being that it's as contagious as it doesn't take much for someone to become sick with norovirus.”

While the symptoms are very similar to food poisoning, Bondurant said norovirus is usually the culprit.

FULL INTERVIEW: Summit County Health Director Phil Bondurant

“Most of the time when someone says they've been food poisoned, it’s norovirus,” he said. “And that's everything from the nausea to the vomiting and the other less desirable things that come along with food borne illness. It really takes two to three days to run its course in the body. It's really important that individuals remain hydrated and keep those electrolytes coming.”

The most common symptoms of norovirus are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. Symptoms usually develop 12 to 48 hours after being exposed. Most people with norovirus illness get better within a few days," Bondurant said.

On the other hand, symptoms of food poising usually appear within six hours of eating contaminated food. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites and typically lasts a few hours.

Bondurant said local restaurants can unfairly get a bad rap from the public and social media when someone gets sick with norovirus.

“I will say that our food establishments here in Summit County do a really good job,” he said. “Usually, if it occurs inside of a restaurant, it's more than two people that are connected, that's the definition of an outbreak. So, you and I went into a restaurant. We don't live together. I went in and ate at seven o'clock, and you ate at 7:30 p.m. If we both came down with the same thing, that might be an exposure inside of a restaurant. I don't know the exact numbers, but statistics tell us that the majority of foodborne illnesses are caused inside the home.”

If the symptoms haven’t cleared within three days Bondurant recommends seeing a doctor.