Picture this: the joyous holiday season overshadowed by waves of nausea, relentless vomiting, and stomach cramps – a stark reality hitting millions as norovirus infections escalate, fresh data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals.
By
Alex Rivera
Senior Health Correspondent
[Profile Link]
Alex Rivera is a seasoned health journalist with a passion for demystifying medical issues. He holds a degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and has contributed to major outlets like CNN and The New York Times. His expertise lies in breaking down public health trends for everyday readers.
Read Full Bio [Bio Link]
November 26, 2025 / 11:47 AM EST / CBS News
Add CBS News on Google [Google Link]
In the United States, instances of norovirus have been climbing significantly over the past few weeks, as indicated by the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
During the period ending November 15, approximately 14% of tests for this ailment returned positive results, per CDC records [CDC Dashboard Link]. With over 2,700 tests performed that week, this translates to roughly 380 confirmed diagnoses within that timeframe.
This figure represents more than a doubling of the positive test rate compared to around three months prior, when positivity hit its yearly nadir. For the week concluding August 9, the rate stood at 6.53%, based on more than 4,240 tests conducted, according to the same CDC data.
It's worth noting that test positivity isn't a foolproof measure, as it can fluctuate depending on how many tests are administered. The CDC's information draws from submissions by various labs, medical facilities, and local health offices. These rates offer a broad overview of which illnesses are prevalent and their timing, as explained by the CDC.
Norovirus, often colloquially called the stomach bug or stomach flu, tops the list as the primary culprit behind vomiting and diarrhea episodes in America, according to the CDC [Norovirus Page Link]. It's also the top trigger for food-related sicknesses, the agency notes. Highly infectious, it triggers issues like queasiness, abdominal discomfort, vomiting, and diarrhea. Typically, symptoms persist for one to three days, though for beginners in health topics, think of it as a viral stomach upset that spreads easily through close contact or contaminated food – much like a flu for your gut.
Annually, the CDC estimates that millions fall ill from norovirus [Data Research Link], with roughly 2,500 outbreaks documented across the U.S. each year. This leads to more than 100,000 hospital stays and nearly 900 fatalities. Individuals aged 65 and up face the highest mortality risk, while young kids and those with weakened immune defenses are more prone to serious complications or even death.
But here's where it gets interesting – these outbreaks peak from November through April, as per the CDC. Just last winter, the nation experienced a substantial norovirus wave, with positivity soaring above 25% in January 2025 [CBS News Link on Last Year's Surge].
More recently, in early November, a suspected outbreak led to the temporary closure of a middle school in Michigan [Detroit News Link] for thorough sanitization after scores of pupils fell ill. And this October, nearly 100 travelers on a cruise vessel [CBS Video Link] were afflicted by the virus.
To fend off norovirus, the CDC recommends frequent handwashing, careful food handling and preparation, and consistent surface cleaning [Prevention Page Link]. Importantly, the virus remains transmissible even after symptoms subside, so these habits should continue for at least two days post-recovery, the agency advises. For those new to this, imagine handwashing as your first line of defense – like scrubbing away invisible invaders before they can hitch a ride to your mouth.
And this is the part most people miss – while prevention seems straightforward, some experts argue that public health campaigns might undervalue the sheer resilience of norovirus, questioning if more aggressive measures, like widespread vaccine research, are overdue. After all, unlike some viruses, there's no vaccine yet, sparking debate: Should governments prioritize norovirus over other illnesses? Or is it simply an inevitable seasonal scourge we must endure?
Edited by Jordan Harper [Editor Profile Link]
In:
Health [Health Tag]
Norovirus [Norovirus Tag]
What do you think? Is norovirus getting the attention it deserves in public health discussions, or are we too quick to blame personal hygiene? Share your thoughts in the comments – do you agree that vaccines are long overdue, or disagree that it's not worth the investment? Let's discuss!
