Dozens of students infected with Norovirus in China

Dozens of university students in the country have been infected with norovirus, Chinese media reported Monday.

According to Xinhua, more than 70 students at a university in Taiwan, capital of north China’s Shanxi Province, suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting as of Wednesday.

Taiwan’s Department of Disease Control and Prevention sampled 28 cases of students for norovirus tests on Wednesday and Saturday, with 11 positive cases tested.

“As of 5 p.m. on Sunday, a total of 22 patients suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting from the virus and other factors were still receiving treatment in hospital,” the agency said.

Shanxi University of Finance and Economics conducted clearance operations in student residences, classrooms, restaurants and other public places, and promoted health education and symptom control for all staff and students, according to the agency.

What is Norovirus?

Norovirus belongs to the collages and causes acute gastroenteritis among all age groups around the world, resulting in severe vomiting and diarrhea or so-called “winter vomiting disease”.

Norovirus affects about 685 million people worldwide each year and has increasingly emerged as a public health issue in China.

Causes of norovirus

Norovirus infection is spread through contaminated food or water during preparation, or contaminated surfaces and then touching the nose, mouth or eyes.

You can also become infected through direct contact with an infected person, hygiene is neglected after an infected person vomits, as the virus can spread through the air and contaminate nearby surfaces.

E.M