Posted: Friday, January 3, 2025. 9:14 am CST.
By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: During the holidays, doctors noticed an uptick in cases of the stomach flu and doctors say that we have let our guard down.
The United States reported cases of Norovirus in December.
Internist Dr. Marvin Manzanero told 7News Belize that there has been an increase of cases of gastrointestinal infections.
“We are assuming it’s a viral infection, and we more commonly tend to think is going to be the norovirus. The Norwalk virus. It is considered a winter, vomiting disease, so, so to speak,” Dr. Manzanero said.
Dr. Manzanero says the symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain or pain in the gastric area, usually gas building up.
“Some patients are documenting fever and headaches and general malaise. It usually is a self-limiting situation where patients will recover maximum three days. Of course, they’re going to feel weak for a couple of days after, but it’s in the course of the disease itself, it’s usually 1 or 3 days. It usually will come about 12 to 48 hours after you have been in contact with with the virus,” he added.
In addition, Dr. Manzanero says that there is no treatment for a viral infection, treatment is given for fever, abdominal pain and stomach pain.
The general advise is to drink water and stay hydrated.
The public is also advised to practice proper hand washing.
Health centers are also seeing an increase in cases of upper respiratory tract infections.
“Some patients are showing up with the classic signs and symptoms of Covid. I know some patients have lost their sense of taste and smell. But I think what we are seeing, what I’m seeing, some patients have had to be hospitalized because of pneumonias, bacterial, which came as a result, after the after the viral infection. But I think what is important is patients are having this persistent cough that has lingered for days or weeks,” he explained.
“You know, we are closer together. We are sneezing into each other’s face, enclosed spaces, the things we knew or are grilled four years ago. We have kind of let our guard down in that regard,” Dr. Manzanero said.
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The post Surge in Norovirus and Respiratory Infections; Doctors urge Handwashing and Hydration appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, January 3, 2025. 9:14 am CST. By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: During the holidays, doctors noticed an uptick in cases of the stomach flu and
The post Surge in Norovirus and Respiratory Infections; Doctors urge Handwashing and Hydration appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
