McHenry County Department of Health reports increase in norovirus cases

The McHenry County Department of Health reported an increase in norovirus outbreaks, a highly contagious virus that spreads quickly from person to person and cannot be treated with antibiotics.

The announcement came about a month after the health department reported a string of illnesses tied to Crystal Lake Montessori School, which an investigation determined to be an outbreak of norovirus, health department spokeswoman Lindsey Salvatelli said.

A total of 16 cases were associated with the initial outbreak, which started in one classroom and spread to another, Salvatelli said, citing provisional data. Another nine cases were identified among people who had been in contact with the primary cases.

Two of the cases, both in children, resulted in visits to the emergency department they were treated without admission to the hospital, Salvatelli said. No one was treated in-patient or died.

Symptoms of norovirus include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain that usually last between 24 and 48 hours, according to the McHenry County health department. Anyone with norovirus should stay home when sick and for 24 hours after experiencing vomiting or diarrhea.

Because of the reported limited interaction between the classrooms, the most likely vehicle for the spread of norovirus was food that was shared between the classrooms, Salvatelli said.

A single person, who is shedding norovirus and has not properly washed his or her hands, can contaminate the food container and the food, causing the spread of the virus. The likelihood is particularly high in a population where hand hygiene may not be optimal, Salvatelli said.

Good hygiene practices are important for everyone to prevent the spread of illness, according to the McHenry County health department. It recommends people frequently wash their hands, especially after using the toilet or changing diapers, and using hand sanitizers in addition to washing.

To help make sure that food is safe from norovirus, routinely clean and sanitize kitchen utensils, counters and surfaces before preparing food, the health department recommended. Rinse fruits and vegetables before eating, cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly and avoid preparing food for others when sick and for at least two days after symptoms stop.

Those caring for someone with norovirus are advised to always thoroughly clean and disinfect an area immediately after an episode of vomiting or diarrhea. Wear rubber or disposable gloves and wipe the entire area with paper towels. Use a bleach-based household cleaner to disinfect the area.

If using liquid household bleach to disinfect, use a chlorine bleach solution with a concentration of 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach per gallon of water, the health department said. Leave the bleach disinfectant on the affected area for at least five minutes, then clean the area again with soap and hot water. Finish by cleaning any soiled laundry, taking out the trash and washing your hands.

Go to the Environmental Protection Agency website at bit.ly/NorovirusProducts for a list of other disinfectants effective against norovirus. For information about norovirus, go to www.cdc.gov/norovirus/index.html.