What are noroviruses and what are the symptoms?
Noroviruses are one of the commonest causes of gastroenteritis. Vomiting and diarrhoea are the most likely symptoms. Others include cramps and mild fever. Symptoms usually emerge 24-48 hours after exposure. The illness typically lasts between one and four days. Are there particular dangers on cruise ships? Cruise ships are closed communities in which rapid transmission can occur among passengers. The arrival of new passengers every few days can make infection difficult to eradicate, resulting in some of the widespread outbreaks that have recently made headline news. Sometimes draconian measures are needed to bring an outbreak to a halt – such as taking a ship out of service for disinfection. How serious is norovirus disease? Although troublesome, the illness is not usually serious in medical terms. Elderly people and infants are most likely to become dehydrated and may need treatment to replace lost fluid. Is it contagious? Everyone suffering from the infection can infect others. If yo
