Guwahati: Two cases of highly-contagious norovirus infection which is a cause of acute gastroenteritis were reported in Kerala.
The two students of a school in Kakkanad close to Kochi were discovered to be afflicted with norovirus, according to the state administration.
According to a senior medical officer for the district, Class 1 and Class 2 students have been admitted to a hospital and their health status is stable. He also mentioned that three additional kids are receiving treatment.
After 62 pupils and a few parents from the school displayed symptoms, the samples of the two students were sent for testing at the State Public Laboratory.
“The health condition of the children is stable. The Health Department personnel inspected the school which is now temporarily closed. We are holding online awareness sessions to the children and parents. The classrooms and the toilets have now been sanitised,” the District Medical Officer said in a statement.
According to the state’s health department, precautions have been made because the virus can spread through tainted food and water.
The department emphasised how contagious the illness is and urged people to practise good hygiene.
Additionally, it stated that the illness can spread through tainted food, water, and surfaces. It also stated that the illness’s earliest symptoms include nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhoea as well as headaches and body aches.
According to the WHO, norovirus is a virus that causes vomiting and extreme diarrhoea making it the most prevalent viral cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide.