Wash those hands extra well, as portions of the Bay Area are experiencing spikes in norovirus infections, the highly contagious gastrointestinal bug that’s typically foodborne, including parts of San Francisco, Marin County, and Silicon Valley.
As SFGate reports, based on data from WastewaterSCAN, higher levels of norovirus infections were detected in the wastewater of the western side of San Francisco, as well as Central Marin County, Novato, and Redwood City. Based on the site’s line graph data, moderate levels were found on the eastern side of SF, Santa Rosa, Vallejo, San Jose, and Palo Alto.
Common norovirus symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, along with fever, headache, and body aches, which typically develop 12 to 48 hours after exposure, according to the US Centers for Disease Control. The virus can lead to dehydration, especially in small children and elderly adults, and it’s advised to drink plenty of fluids, including electrolyte beverages and oral rehydration drinks depending on the severity…