The highly contagious rotavirus, which can trigger a potentially life-threatening illness, is spreading across the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Currently, the highest concentrations of the rotavirus are in Marin, Redwood City, San Jose and Santa Cruz, in California. Researchers have also detected “moderate concentrations” in Sacramento, Davis, San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Fremont, Vallejo and Novato.
Other high areas of concern include elevated rotavirus levels in New Jersey, Connecticut, and other states along the Northeast coast, according to the New York Post.
In the rest of the country, the WastewaterSCAN dashboard, which monitors wastewater to track infectious diseases, shows rising levels of rotavirus since mid-December and it becoming widespread across all major U.S. regions.
According to the CDC, the number of patients diagnosed with rotavirus has surged to its highest level since April last year. The statistics indicated the virus registered a positivity rate, the proportion of tests finding the infection, of 6.77 percent – a 24 percent increase from the prior seven-day period.
Rotavirus symptoms, prevention, and treatment
The highly contagious virus causes severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, loss of appetite, and dehydration. The most vulnerable to the infection are infants and young children, but older children and adults with weakened immune systems are also susceptible.
The CDC reports that no specific medicine treats a rotavirus infection, but doctors may use certain medicines to treat the symptoms. The rotavirus vaccine is the best way to prevent infection.
“Good hygiene like handwashing and cleanliness are important but not enough to control the spread of the disease,” the CDC explains. “Children, even those who are vaccinated, may get infected and sick from rotavirus more than once. That is because neither natural infection with rotavirus nor vaccination provides full protection from future infections. However, vaccinated children are less likely to get sick from rotavirus.”