Yes, norovirus is actively circulating across the United States. CDC surveillance data from spring 2025 shows outbreak numbers running at or near the top of the historical range recorded since 2012. While activity has started to taper from its winter peak, dozens of new outbreaks are still being reported each week.
How Active Is Norovirus Right Now?
The CDC tracks norovirus outbreaks through a network of participating state health departments. In early March 2025, 64 outbreaks were reported in a single week, matching the 75th percentile of all seasons going back to 2012. By late April, weekly outbreaks had dropped to 27, but that number still sits at the high end of what’s typical for that time of year. For context, the historical minimum for the last week of April is just 3 outbreaks.
Norovirus follows a reliable seasonal pattern, peaking between December and March, then gradually declining through spring. What stands out about the current season is that outbreak counts have consistently tracked at or above the 75th percentile for nearly every week of data available. If you feel like more people around you are getting sick than usual, the numbers back that up.
Symptoms and How Long They Last
Norovirus hits fast. After exposure, symptoms typically appear within 12 to 48 hours. The hallmark combination is sudden, forceful vomiting and watery diarrhea, often accompanied by nausea, stomach cramps, and sometimes a low-grade fever or body aches. It’s miserable but mercifully short for most people: the worst of it passes in one to three days.
The biggest risk isn’t the virus itself but the dehydration that comes from losing so much fluid so quickly. In adults, warning signs include dark urine, urinating much less than normal, dizziness, extreme thirst, and confusion. In young children, look for fewer wet diapers (none in three hours is a red flag), no tears when crying, sunken eyes, and skin that stays tented when you gently pinch it rather than flattening right back down. Seek medical care if diarrhea lasts longer than 24 hours, if you or your child can’t keep fluids down, or if you notice bloody or black stool.
You’re Contagious Longer Than You Think
One of the trickiest things about norovirus is the gap between feeling better and actually being done spreading it. You can continue shedding the virus for two weeks or more after your symptoms resolve. That means returning to work, school, or cooking for your family while you feel perfectly fine can still put others at risk.
This extended shedding window is a major reason norovirus tears through households, daycares, cruise ships, and nursing homes so efficiently. Even after you’re back on your feet, thorough handwashing before preparing food and after using the bathroom remains critical for at least two weeks.
Why Hand Sanitizer Isn’t Enough
Norovirus is notoriously tough to kill, and alcohol-based hand sanitizers are far less effective against it than most people assume. Lab testing on actual human norovirus found that even an 85% ethanol sanitizer, the strongest tested, could not fully eliminate the virus from contaminated hands. Products in the more common 62% to 80% ethanol range performed significantly worse.
Soap and water is your best defense. The mechanical action of lathering and rinsing physically removes virus particles in a way that sanitizer gels simply can’t match. Use hand sanitizer as a backup when a sink isn’t available, but don’t treat it as a substitute.
Cleaning Surfaces After Someone Gets Sick
Norovirus can survive on countertops, doorknobs, and bathroom fixtures for days. Standard household cleaners often aren’t strong enough. Chlorine bleach is the go-to disinfectant, but the concentration matters:
- Items that touch food or mouths (utensils, toys): 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.
- General hard surfaces (counters, toilets, door handles): 1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of water.
- Heavily contaminated areas (where vomiting or diarrhea occurred): 1 and 2/3 cups of bleach per gallon of water.
Whatever the concentration, let the bleach solution sit on the surface for 10 to 20 minutes before rinsing with clean water. Wiping it off immediately won’t give it enough contact time to destroy the virus.
How to Get Through It
There’s no antiviral medication for norovirus. Recovery is about managing symptoms and staying hydrated. Sip small amounts of water, broth, or an oral rehydration solution frequently rather than gulping large amounts at once, which can trigger more vomiting. Popsicles and ice chips work well for children who resist drinking. Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice, which can worsen diarrhea.
Once you can tolerate fluids, ease back into eating with bland, easy-to-digest foods like toast, rice, bananas, and plain crackers. Most people bounce back fully within a few days without any medical intervention. Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of complications and may need closer monitoring or IV fluids if they can’t stay hydrated on their own.
Reducing Your Risk Right Now
Norovirus spreads through direct contact with a sick person, touching contaminated surfaces, and eating contaminated food. During an active season like this one, a few habits make a real difference. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before eating, after using the bathroom, and after changing diapers. If someone in your household is sick, designate a separate bathroom for them if possible, and wash their laundry separately using hot water and a full dryer cycle.
Fruits and vegetables should be rinsed thoroughly before eating, and shellfish, particularly oysters, should be cooked all the way through. Raw or undercooked shellfish is one of the most common food vehicles for norovirus. And if you’ve been sick yourself, avoid preparing food for others for at least two days after symptoms stop, ideally longer given how long viral shedding continues.