Norovirus cases are soaring across the country. Here’s how bad it is in South Mississippi

Almost every day now, Ashley Thompson hears the same complaints.

Patients are trudging into some clinics across the Mississippi Coast with cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

“They feel terrible,” said Thompson, a nurse practitioner at the Memorial Health walk-in clinic in Gautier. “There’s not a whole lot we can do.”

Cases of norovirus, a sickness with sudden and miserable stomach symptoms, are rising this winter in Mississippi and across the country. Norovirus spreads through close contact with infected people and contaminated surfaces. There is no antiviral treatment, so those who get sick can only hydrate and rest until symptoms end after a few days.

It is unclear exactly how many cases there are on the Coast. The Mississippi State Department of Health has been investigating a possible norovirus outbreak on the Coast since December, according to Greg Flynn, the agency’s director of external affairs and media relations.

“There’s been a pretty notable uptick,” said Michael Hulin, a doctor who practices family medicine at Ochsner Health in Gulfport. “We’re seeing it almost on a daily basis.”

Outbreaks can happen in schools or officers where people congregate, and families gathering indoors over the holidays may have helped start the spread this year. Hulin and Thompson said local cases appeared to start rising after Christmas.

Norovirus in South MS

Norovirus symtoms resemble a stomach bug and can come on fast, Hulin said. Some patients also report fever, headache and body aches. But vomiting and diarrhea usually last no more than three days. The surge in cases levels off eventually, too.

This week, Thompson said, she especially noticed an increase in symptoms among patients.

Some patients have told Thompson they felt body aches or chills before symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Other patients experience the symptoms all at once. Thompson said people who start experiencing extreme dehydration or fatigue may need to visit an emergency room. Patients with compromised immune systems are also at higher risk. Hulin and Thompson said local norovirus cases are infecting all age groups.

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Clinics are already busy this winter because they are also dealing with so much else. Norovirus cases are rising at the same time as patients report more symptoms of the flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Mississippi usually sees winter illnesses such as norovirus recede by March.

The health department started contact tracing on the Coast after it got several reports of norovirus in December, Flynn said.

How to stop norovirus spread

The only treatment for norovirus is rest and hydration. “It can be frustrating,” Hulin said.

Doctors say basic hygiene can help prevent infection.

Thompson said people should wash their hands often for at least 20 seconds and disinfect surfaces that are highly touched, including doorknobs and counters. It is also important to wash vegetables properly, she said, in case an infected person passed through a grocery store.

Flynn said the most effective way to disinfect surfaces is with chlorine bleach sprays.

Hulin said anyone who starts to feel sick should avoid having people over or visiting densely populated areas.

He also said eating a healthy diet of unprocessed foods can strengthen an immune system. Foods such as Greek yogurt can also improve stomach health, he said.

“It is preventable,” Flynn said, “if you just take the necessary precautions.”

This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 12:32 PM.