Norovirus

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that is a common cause of gastroenteritis, often referred to as the “stomach flu”, which is known to be transmitted through various routes, including contaminated water, food, faecal and oral route. This means that the virus is shed in the faeces of infected individuals and can be transmitted when people ingest tiny, often visible, particles of the contaminated water. Transmission often occurs when water sources, such as drinking water supplies, recreational water, such as swimming pools, and natural bodies of water, inducing lakes and rivers become contaminated through various means, including sewage overflows, inadequate waste water treatment, and faecal contamination from infected individuals. Norovirus infections can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever, which typically appear within 12 the 48 hours after exposure and last for 1 to 3 days. Practicing good hygiene and proper sanitation can be very beneficial in preventing the transmission, including certain specific submicron water filtration cartridges and UV sterilization systems can be capable and successful in the reduction and removal of such viruses, leaving the water free from transmission.