Slight increase in norovirus cases among UW-Madison students - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Slight increase in norovirus cases among UW-Madison students


MADISON (WKOW) -- Experts see a slight increase in norovirus cases among University of Wisconsin-Madison students.

Norovirus can make people sick all year round, but the peak is late fall into winter months like February and March.

Students living in close environments, like the dorms or campus apartments, need to take extra precaution in order to stay healthy.

Norovirus can spread person-to-person. It's a different virus than seen in past years. A virus from Australia, called the Sydney strain, might make it hard for people to fight off the side effects.

The University Health Services at UW-Madison says in a residence hall, with 30 or 40 students sharing the same bathroom, there is potential for norovirus to spread.

Craig Roberts from University Health Services, says he sees an increase in cases around this time of year.

"When students come back from being all over the world and come back to campus we see increases in those infections early in the semester," says Roberts. "That's what we're seeing now."

Roberts recommends if you're sick to isolate yourself until you're feeling better. If you're not sick, focus on staying healthy and avoiding contact with those infected.

Also, make sure to wash your hands with soap and water. Experts say the alcohol hand sanitizer doesn't work very well with fighting the norovirus. You have to wash your hands with soap and water.

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