Acute gastroenteritis is on the rise in McHenry County.
The McHenry County Department of Health said Friday it has been seeing an increase in community transmission of the illness over the past two weeks.
“McHenry County is currently seeing about a 20 percent increase in emergency department visits for nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea compared to our usual baseline. While 20 percent may not sound substantial, it represents a meaningful rise above normal levels and signals increased community transmission of acute gastroenteritis,” health department spokesperson Nick Kubiak said Friday.
Kubiak said the health department has seen similar increases during winter months over the past two years, which “suggests that higher levels of norovirus and other causes of acute gastroenteritis during the winter may be becoming a more consistent seasonal pattern in McHenry County.”
Acute gastroenteritis is commonly caused by norovirus and spreads quickly from person to person, the health department said in a news release. It can also survive on surfaces for days or weeks, health department officials said.
Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain, which typically lasts 24 to 48 hours, according to the release.
People who have norovirus-like symptoms should stay home while they’re sick and for at least 24 hours after symptoms go away.
“Antibiotics are not effective against norovirus,” the release said, but staying hydrated is essential while recovering.
Good hygiene habits are the best way to prevent spreading illness, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Illinois Department of Public Health and McHenry County health officials have the following recommendations:
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and changing diapers, and before eating or preparing food. Hand sanitizers are not effective against norovirus.
• Stay home from work or school until at least 24 hours after symptoms are resolved. If you are a food handler, stay home for at least 48 hours after symptoms are resolved.
• Avoid preparing food for others for at least two days after symptoms stop.
• Avoid visiting nursing homes or other congregate care settings while ill and refrain from attending social gatherings to prevent spreading the illness.
• Regularly clean and disinfect kitchen utensils, counters and surfaces before preparing food to reduce the risk of contamination.
• When experiencing gastrointestinal illness, using disinfectants is effective against norovirus. A list of such products can be found on the EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial Products Effective Against Norovirus (List G).
Norovirus is sometimes called “stomach flu” or “stomach bug,” but it is not related to the flu. The flu is caused by the influenza virus, while norovirus causes acute gastroenteritis, according to the CDC.
In McHenry County, the respiratory surveillance report for the week of Feb. 8 to 14, the most recent one available, indicates respiratory illness as a whole has high activity levels in the county. RSV activity is high, while flu and COVID-19 activity is at moderate levels, according to the report.
More information about norovirus is available on the CDC website, according to the release.