Recently, the Pepperdine Health Center reported and advised students on increased numbers of norovirus cases in Southern California.

Image/CDC
Image/CDC

According to a report on the Pepperdine Graphic, an email was sent out to the campus last week concerning a confirmed norovirus case at the school.

We are aware of a few students who have had stomach/intestinal symptoms, but only one that has been officially diagnosed,” the Student Health Center wrote in an email. “Various viruses, bacteria and other diseases can cause gastrointestinal illnesses so someone with symptoms doesn’t necessarily have Norovirus.”

“In any community, including Pepperdine, it could potentially spread,” the email stated.

Norovirus is a highly contagious viral illness that often goes by other names, such as viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu, and food poisoning.

The symptoms include nausea,vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Sometimes people additionally have a low-grade fever,chills,headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness often begins suddenly, and the infected person may feel very sick. In most people, the illness is self-limiting with symptoms lasting for about 1 or 2 days.

In general, children experience more vomiting than adults do.

Norovirus is spread person to person particularly in crowded, closed places. Norovirus is typically spread through contaminated food and water, touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then putting your hand or fingers in your mouth and close contact with someone who is vomiting or has diarrhea.

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