The New Jersey Department of Health reports there are more than two dozen people norovirus outbreaks in the state.
As of 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 10, there have been 30 reported virus outbreaks in 2025 in the Garden State.
According to the Ministry of Health, there were 70 outbreaks in December 2024 and 15 in December 2023.
What is norovirus?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, norovirus is contagious and causes vomiting and diarrhea.
It usually takes 12 to 48 hours to develop symptoms of the virus. Symptoms include: diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, headache and body aches.
How is norovirus spread?
Norovirus can spread in several ways, according to the CDC.
You could contract the virus if you are in direct contact with someone who has it. This includes sharing food or utensils, eating food they handle, or caring for them.
If you eat something that is contaminated with norovirus, you could get sick.
Anyone with norovirus can spread the virus for two weeks or more after feeling better.
What constitutes a norovirus outbreak?
The New Jersey Department of Health explained that the definition of the term “outbreak” depends on where it is reported.
They use the example of a school and state that an outbreak is “the occurrence of two or more similar illnesses resulting from a common exposure that is suspected or laboratory confirmed to be caused by norovirus.”
For the long-term care facility example, they define an outbreak as “a laboratory-confirmed positive case of norovirus along with other cases of gastrointestinal illness in the facility” or “a sudden increase from the normal background rate of acute gastrointestinal illness.” , with or without laboratory confirmation (above the reference established for this establishment).
