Fresh reports suggest a potentially dangerous virus is spreading in parts of the US.
New numbers indicate rotavirus infections are increasing, and public health specialists say the rise this year is higher than at the same point in the previous year.
The virus tends to surge during the cooler stretch of the year—often from January through June—and it can pass quickly from person to person, causing a range of unpleasant symptoms.
While anyone can get sick, rotavirus can be especially risky for infants and young children.
Information shared by WastewaterScan shows infection levels beginning to edge upward in January, then continuing to climb in some regions over the following months, including areas in the West and Midwest.
Some doctors say the uptick may be linked to fewer families choosing to vaccinate children, noting that many severe cases—and related complications—could be avoided with higher vaccine uptake.
Before the first rotavirus vaccine became available around two decades ago, the illness was a major concern for many parents.
In the years prior, it was associated with more than 200,000 emergency room visits, up to 70,000 hospital stays, and dozens of deaths annually, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
With cases now rising again in certain areas, many people may be wondering what rotavirus looks like and when to seek help.
The symptoms can be intense and often include severe dehydration, watery diarrhea, and vomiting. The CDC says signs commonly appear about two days after infection, and symptoms can continue for roughly three to eight days.
Rotavirus is typically spread when someone touches a contaminated surface and then touches their mouth. The biggest danger comes from how quickly it can dehydrate the body.
For children, caregivers are advised to watch for reduced urination, a dry mouth and throat, crying without tears, and dizziness in kids who are able to stand. Extreme sleepiness or unusual irritability may also point to serious dehydration.
People are generally most contagious while they have symptoms and for the first three days after symptoms stop. Transmission can also occur before a person realizes they’re sick.
There isn’t a specific medication that cures rotavirus. Clinicians may recommend treatments to ease symptoms, but antibiotics won’t help because rotavirus is viral, not bacterial.
Care focuses on preventing dehydration. Oral rehydration solutions can be useful, and in more severe situations a doctor may provide fluids through an IV.