Norovirus cases spike above 5-year average, PHAC says

Norovirus may be hitting Canadians harder this time of year with reported cases rising above previous averages, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Norovirus, commonly known as the stomach bug, may be hitting Canadians harder this time of year with reported cases rising above previous averages, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Preliminary data from recent weeks shows norovirus cases are being reported countrywide at higher rates than the five-year average from 2019 to 2023, PHAC said in an email to Global News on Monday.

The agency noted that while cases are reported to the National Enteric Surveillance Program (NESP), it was unable to provide specific data on the number of cases.

“This has been noted for multiple provinces, including Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia,” a PHAC spokesperson said in the email, adding that the high reported numbers should be viewed with caution.

This is because the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the reporting of stomach bugs like norovirus, which brought down the five-year average for cases during that time, the agency stated. Because of this, current numbers might look unusually high compared with 2019 to 2023.

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes diarrhea and vomiting. Outbreaks occur more frequently during the fall and winter months and usually cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, body aches, headache and a fever.

“It’s got the moniker ‘winter vomiting illness’ for a reason. It’s just awful gastroenteritis and makes people vomit like crazy; it is one of the most awful things to experience,” said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases specialist at Toronto General Hospital.

“When you get it, people are truly hugging the porcelain for usually 12 to 24 hours, but usually after 36 to 48 hours, the symptoms start to subside.”