A highly contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea made headlines as it “surged” across the United States at the end of 2024.
The American Journal of Managed Care reported that as of December, 22% of tests for the virus have come back positive.
It also reported 495 outbreaks between Aug. 1 and Dec. 11, up from 363 last year.
An outbreak is “the occurrence of more illness than expected in a given area or among a specific group of people,” said an epidemiologist at the La Plata County Health Department.
In Montezuma County, as of Jan. 14, there have been no reported cases, according to the county’s public health department. Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez declined to provide information.
In La Plata County, there have been three suspected outbreaks since November, and all have been at child care centers and preschools, said Todd Macon, the communications supervisor at the La Plata County Health Department.
“It’s normal to circulate this time of year,” Macon said.
Macon said that it usually spreads from November to April, and that there are typically more cases than what we see from outbreaks.
“Think you have the ‘stomach flu’ or a ‘stomach bug?’ Think again, because you might have norovirus, a common virus, which spreads very easily and quickly, but it is not related to the flu,” reads a norovirus toolkit produced by the Colorado Department of Health & Environment.
The virus infects people of all ages, and can be more serious for some than others.
Each year, it hospitalizes roughly 109,000 people in America, in addition to more than 450,000 emergency visits, which are mostly kids. Plus, 900 Americans – usually age 65 and up – die from it.
People can contract the virus by having contact with someone infected by it, touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth or consuming contaminated food and drink.
“The best way to stop norovirus from spreading and protect yourself and your loved ones is to wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Hand sanitizer alone is not effective against norovirus,” according to the state’s toolkit.