Highly contagious! A man said his wife got infected when she went to the toilet, and he developed a fever a few hours later!

Woman gets infected after using public toilet

The husband who was traveling with her developed a high fever a few hours later.

Recently, a man claimed that his wife was infected with the norovirus after using a public toilet. Due to the long queue for the women's toilet, he went to a toilet that was not flushed clean and stayed in it for several minutes without wearing a mask. Within an hour after coming out, he began to vomit and had diarrhea. He, who was traveling with him, also developed a fever a few hours later.

Doctors say that in general, the water in public toilets may contain E. coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Streptococcus, Norovirus, etc. These intestinal pathogens are mainly transmitted through "fecal-oral transmission". If your hands come into contact with these pathogens and you eat directly without paying attention to hand hygiene, it may cause fecal-oral transmission.

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October to March of the following year

It is the peak season for norovirus infection in my country

There is no vaccine or specific medicine for Norovirus

Supportive treatment only

However, the spread is fast and prevention and control are difficult

Called "one of the most contagious viruses known"

“One of the most difficult viruses to control”

So

What exactly is Norovirus?

What are the characteristics?

How can we prevent it?

How Norovirus is spread

Norovirus has the characteristics of short incubation period, rapid mutation, strong environmental resistance, and diverse transmission routes, and the general population is susceptible. The incubation period of Norovirus infection is usually 24 to 48 hours, and the transmission routes are extensive. It can be transmitted through direct contact with the patient's feces, vomitus and other excretions, or through indirect contact with objects and environments contaminated by excrement, or through eating or drinking food or water contaminated by Norovirus. Since aerosols can be formed when patients vomit and defecate, ingestion of aerosols may also cause infection. The general population is susceptible, and outbreaks are very likely to occur in places where people gather, such as childcare institutions, schools, and nursing homes.

Norovirus is mainly mild, with sudden onset, and vomiting or diarrhea of ​​varying severity as the main manifestations. Vomiting or diarrhea may occur alone, or vomiting first and then diarrhea. Children mainly have vomiting symptoms, and diarrhea is yellow and watery stools, which may be accompanied by low fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, headache, muscle aches, etc. It is usually not a severe disease, but dehydration may occur.

Vomiting and diarrhea can cause the human body to lose a large amount of electrolytes and water. Therefore, after being infected with the norovirus, you must fully replenish fluids, pay attention to rest, and promptly consume sugar and salt water or use rehydration salts.

①Maintain good hygiene habits

Steam and cook food thoroughly, especially seafood. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Do not eat leftover cold rice or cold dishes to prevent the invasion of pathogens. Do not drink raw water. Wash your hands thoroughly before eating, after going to the toilet, before processing food, or after your hands are contaminated.

② Reduce going out

During the peak period of Norovirus infection, children should try to avoid going to crowded places, and take good care of themselves and keep their hands clean when they really need to go out.

③ Strengthen exercise

Exercise can improve the body's immunity and enhance the body's resistance to viruses.

④ Take good personal protection

After children vomit or have diarrhea, contaminated items and places should be cleaned and sprayed with disinfectant containing 1000 mg/L of effective chlorine in a timely manner. When disinfecting, parents should also wear masks and gloves to take personal protection. Families should open windows for ventilation.

⑤ Rest at home and isolate

After a child is infected with the norovirus, he or she should rest at home and generally be isolated for 3 days after recovery before going to kindergarten or school. Resting at home is conducive to recovery from the disease and is also a protection for other children.

How should collective units prevent and control the epidemic on a daily basis?

(1) Strengthen the management of infectious diseases in collective units and make preparations for epidemic prevention and control.

Schools, childcare institutions, nursing homes, factories, construction sites, cruise ships and other collective units or places are places where norovirus acute gastroenteritis is prone to outbreaks, and cases should be discovered and managed in a standardized manner in a timely manner. Childcare institutions and schools should do a good job in student health management, strictly implement morning (noon) inspections and registration and investigation of absences due to illness. Enterprises and institutions need to do a good job in health monitoring of all employees, canteens and catering institutions should strengthen the statistics of absences due to illness, and people with abdominal discomfort should not engage in work that directly contacts food. Reserve a certain amount of chlorine-containing disinfectants such as bleaching powder and personal protective equipment such as disposable masks and gloves.

(2) Strengthen the management of drinking water and food hygiene.

Provide safe drinking water, strengthen the maintenance of school water pipe networks, conduct drinking water quality testing, and ensure water supply safety. Supervise food raw materials and processing links, store raw and cooked food separately, cook them thoroughly, and use separate cutting boards, knives and other kitchen utensils when handling them.

(3) Strengthen the health management of cooks, childcare workers and other employees.

Child care institutions and schools monitor the health status of kitchen workers and child care workers. If they have symptoms of intestinal infectious diseases such as diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, they should immediately stop working and seek medical treatment in time to avoid going to work while sick. Wear masks correctly and maintain good hand hygiene during food preparation and meal distribution.

(IV) Carry out cleaning and disinfection work properly, and handle vomitus in a scientific and standardized manner.

In places where people gather, such as schools, childcare institutions, and nursing homes, clustered outbreaks of norovirus infection are prone to occur. In accordance with the requirements of the Technical Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Norovirus Infection in Key Places Such as Schools, disinfection of key places should be done well. Schools, childcare institutions and other public places should be cleaned and ventilated regularly; key areas (such as door handles, stair handrails, faucets, etc.) should be cleaned and disinfected regularly; vomit and feces should be handled in a standardized manner and cleaned and disinfected well.

(V) Strengthen health education.

Schools, childcare institutions and other collective units can use health education classes, broadcasts, blackboard newspapers and other forms to publicize knowledge on the prevention and control of intestinal infectious diseases, and remind students, faculty and staff and other personnel to pay attention to food hygiene and safety when dining out.