Patients with intestinal infections in winter such as norovirus and rotavirus ↑…mostly infants and toddlers
Feb 10, 2025
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As a result of surveillance of intestinal infections at hospital-level (210 locations) operated by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of norovirus patients continued to increase from the first week of November last year, the highest level in the last decade as of the fourth week of January. In particular, 9.2% of all patients were under the age of 1 and 42.2% were aged 1-6, accounting for 51.4% of infants and toddlers aged 0-6.
Norovirus infections occur annually from late autumn to early spring of the following year (November to March), mainly in infants and toddlers (0-6 years old).
The main route of infection of norovirus infection is the intake of water (ground water) or food (fish and shellfish) contaminated with norovirus, but it is also possible to spread between people through patient contact or to infect by droplets of patient vomit. When infected with norovirus, symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea appear within 12 to 48 hours, and depending on the person, abdominal pain, chills, and fever may appear.
To prevent this, you should eat safe and hygienic cooked food, such as washing your hands for more than 30 seconds using soap rather than hand sanitizer, washing ingredients under running water and cooking them sufficiently at 85℃ or higher for more than 1 minute.
Norovirus patients should refrain from attending school, going to school, and going to work until 48 hours after symptoms disappear, and should live separately from other families. In addition, when using the toilet, when flushing after defecation, the toilet lid should be closed to block the spread of norovirus due to droplets.
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According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of rotavirus patients is lower than the peak of the pre-COVID-19 period, but as of the fourth week of January, it showed an increase of 105% compared to last year. Rotavirus infection also accounted for 40.7% of infants and toddlers aged 0 to 6 with 9.8% under the age of 1 and 30.9% of all patients.
Rotavirus infection has a similar major infection route to norovirus, and symptoms such as vomiting, fever, and watery diarrhea appear within 24 to 72 hours of infection and are maintained for 4 to 6 days. In particular, since it spreads easily through hands and mouth from contaminants on diapers and toys, infection control is needed to prevent rotavirus infections in neonatal rooms, postpartum care centers, and daycare centers, and thorough environmental management of collective facilities to prevent further spread is important.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should disinfect goods contaminated with space, toilets, and patient secretions (fecal or vomit) used by patients in both viruses by diluting (lax 1: water 50) and wearing masks (KF94) and gloves to prevent infection through droplets when removing patients' secretions. He advised that disinfection should be wiped around objects within reach (door handles, faucets, etc.), and laundry should be washed at 70°C or higher, or rinsed with Lax diluent (Lax1: water 330) for at least 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, rotavirus infection is a national vaccination that supports free vaccination for infants. Depending on the type of vaccination vaccine, there is a difference in the number and schedule of inoculations (rotaryx 2, 4 months/rotatex 2, 4, 6 months), and after the first vaccination, the vaccination must be continued with the same type of vaccine.
Patients with rotavirus infection should also refrain from attending school, going to school, and going to work until 24 hours after symptoms disappear, and like norovirus infection, patients with symptoms working in cooking workers or childcare facilities and nursing facilities should be restricted from working until 48 hours after symptoms disappear.
Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ji Young-mi said, `In order to prevent intestinal infections caused by norovirus and rotavirus in winter, people should wash their hands and eat safely cooked food"It occurs in infants and toddlers who have difficulty protecting personal hygiene by themselves, so parents and teachers should provide active guidance so that infants and toddlers can practice proper hand washing in their daily lives."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
