Food poisoning is caused by the insufficient management of eating conditions in daily life. Food poisoning is thought to occur frequently in the summer when parasites are likely to reproduce in hot and humid weather. Apart from the weather. The virus also survives at sub-zero temperatures and is common in winter. Recently, the number of norovirus patients has surged due to poor eating habits and hygiene management. Norovirus is a viral gastroenteritis, the most commonly found waterborne disease in Korea. In the case of norovirus, unlike conventional food poisoning viruses, the lower the temperature, the more active it is. In addition, infections occur all over the world because people are infected regardless of age.

 Norovirus survives at sub-zero temperatures and does not disappear when heated to 60 degrees. Therefore, raw oysters, shellfish, raw fish and seafood are the main causes of the outbreak. Oysters, especially called the milk of the ocean, are also vulnerable when in season. The excrement of infected people is released into the environment, which leads to contaminated seawater and underground water. This can cause infections by consuming vegetables or ingredients washed with contaminated water or drinking water that hasn’t been boiled. As such, norovirus can be easily exposed in everyday life as it spreads through people’s hands and mouths.

 Norovirus symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting and fever after an incubation period within 48 hours of infection. Symptoms of vomiting are common among children and diarrhea among adults. It is similar to the flu in the early stages of symptoms of norovirus and requires accurate diagnosis by medical experts. Especially when you are sensitive to fever symptoms with COVID-19, you should be more careful. Healthy adults should recover naturally within three days after infection. However, children and the elderly with weak immune systems need to carefully ingest fluids as the illness is accompanied by dehydration.

 There is no vaccine against norovirus, so prevention is the best method. Most people get infected through their hands. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly wash your hands before and after meals or when using public places. In addition, heating food to temperatures above 70 degrees will completely extinguish the virus. In other words, rather than eating raw food as it is, it is better to eat foods such as fish and seafood well-cooked. Lastly, if you have symptoms, it is best to reduce contact with others as much as possible.

 Most cases of norovirus are said to be worse in winter. This is because people are less wary of food poisoning viruses in the winter rather than in the warm summer. Carelessness increases the risk of other viruses as well as norovirus. The best prevention is to think about ways to protect your health by thoroughly following your own personal hygiene management.

75th Reporter•KIM YUN JUNG•dbswnd7676@naver.com