{"id":632,"date":"2026-06-12T22:32:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T22:32:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=632"},"modified":"2026-06-12T22:32:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T22:32:31","slug":"bay-area-still-battling-extremely-contagious-norovirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=632","title":{"rendered":"Bay Area still battling ‘extremely contagious’ norovirus"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Norovirus, sometimes referred to as the stomach flu or the \u201ccruise ship virus,\u201d is still in high circulation in several Bay Area regions, and health experts say that rates could increase with the impending FIFA World Cup.\u00a0<\/p>

Read more California\u2019s schools are emptying out. Experts say it\u2019s only going to get worse.<\/a><\/p><\/div>

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WastewaterSCAN, which monitors the rates of several viruses throughout the Bay Area\u2019s municipal wastewater, shows that traces of\u00a0norovirus are at high levels in\u00a0Palo Alto, San Jose, Fremont, Vallejo and Novato\u00a0as of Thursday. Meanwhile, the virus has a moderate presence in several other regions, including San Francisco.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

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Regardless, Dr. Matthew Willis, a former health officer for Marin County, said it\u2019s too early to tell whether we\u2019re in for a rough summer. Norovirus is present all year long, he said, but rates are \u201chigher than we normally see in June,\u201d which is \u201ctrue for multiple jurisdictions at once,\u201d Willis told\u00a0SFGATE Thursday.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

\u201cThis does seem to be more of a pattern across the region,\u201d he continued. He also warned that rigorous hand-washing will be crucial as international travelers visit the Bay Area for the\u00a0World Cup, which is taking place this summer.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

Described by health experts as \u201cextremely contagious,\u201d the virus, which causes symptoms like vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea, commonly spreads in medical facilities, restaurants, childcare centers and cruise ships. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,\u00a0norovirus causes 90% of diarrheal outbreaks on cruises, which is how it earned its unfortunate nickname. Because these ships have shared dining areas and small cabins, it\u2019s difficult to control the spread once it begins. According to the CDC, about 2,500 norovirus outbreaks are reported across the U.S. each year.<\/p><\/div>

Another reason it spreads so easily is that it takes only 10 viral particles to make someone sick, compared with the flu, which requires thousands, Willis said. It\u2019s \u201cso infectious,\u201d he told SFGATE.<\/p>

Read more Smoke visible for miles as fire erupts at Tracy medical warehouse<\/a><\/p><\/div>

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