JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As we continue to follow the latest in the fight against COVID, there are other viruses that are spreading and doctors say we need to be cautious.
Norovirus is one virus that doctors are cautioning against.
“There’s no reason you should be in somebody’s personal area like that and just making sure that you’re taking care of yourself,” said Brittany Sanders.
Sanders says that’s how she stays clear of any contagious virus.
“It’s a very highly contagious virus, so very little exposure can lead to disease in adults and children,” said Dr. Letisha Jefferson, Carithers Pediatrics.
First Coast News reported outbreaks on cruise ships, the latest outbreak tracked by the CDC was just last month, linked to raw oysters.
Thirteen states including Florida had an oyster recall after contaminated oysters from Canada made it to the U.S.
Jefferson says the main norovirus symptoms to look for are diarrhea, vomiting and fever. She says kids going to summer camps and back to school can easily spread the disease to one another.
“It seems to be more of a year around illness, there are certain times of year when it seems to spike, like in the beginning of the school year,” said Jefferson.
Norovirus lives on surfaces and can be spread from close contact with an infected person and food and drinks contaminated by infected people.
The CDC says norovirus causes about half of all outbreaks of food-related illness.
People First Coast News interviewed said they weren’t worried.
“I don’t change the way I live, I do the same things just about every day, I wouldn’t try nothing different,” said an anonymous man.