Can You Avoid a Stomach Bug Outbreak? What To Know About These Viruses

While sneezing, coughing, and fevers are often signs of illness, there's another collection of germs that can make us sick without ever producing a single runny noise: "stomach bugs." When it comes to viruses that cause stomach upset — like diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting — there's a lot of confusion surrounding them, including whether or not stomach bugs are contagious.

While winter 2024/2025 is predicted to have an outbreak of Norovirus, you should learn how these illnesses work so you can keep yourself and your family safe all year long.

Keep reading to learn more about stomach bugs, including our best tips for what you should eat and drink when you have one.

This article isn't meant to substitute medical advice, and if you're worried about the stomach bug or your reaction to the virus, you should call your healthcare provider for tips specific to your situation.

Unfortunately, yes, stomach bugs are often highly contagious, according to the Cleveland Clinic. These illnesses are often caused by a virus, which targets your gastrointestinal system. There are a few common viruses that are often behind stomach upset, and they include:

• Norovirus
• Rotavirus
• Astrovirus
• Adenovirus

Each virus will cause varying symptoms and impact those who get sick differently, but people commonly refer to them collectively as the stomach flu.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, these viruses can spread easily from person to person by the "fecal-to-oral route," which happens when someone ingests particles of feces or vomit from an infected person. Germs can be picked up from contaminated surfaces like toilet seats or directly from the contaminated person.

That's why healthcare experts, like the ones at Norton Healthcare, suggest that people be vigilant about their handwashing, especially when stomach bug cases are on the rise.

When it comes to how long the virus can remain active on surfaces, the answer can vary depending on the type of surface.For example, Norton Healthcare says the virus can survive on hard and soft surfaces for about two weeks. However, when it lands in water, the virus can extend its lifespan for months and sometimes even years.

The 2024/2025 norovirus outbreak has been particularly heavy, which is why it's important to know how to kill this stomach bug to avoid coming into contact with it.

Like other viruses, it spreads through oral contact with materials (feces and vomit) that contain the virus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says you can try to prevent transmission by washing your hands withsoap and water for at least 20 seconds.

For surfaces, you'll need to use a disinfectant that includes 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach (at a concentration of 1,000 to 5,0000 ppm) for every gallon of water. After carefully mixing the solution, apply the mix to the surface you want to disinfect, leaving it to sit for at least five minutes before wiping it clean.

Afterward, give the area another cleaning using hot water and soap.

If the area you need to clean can be put into the wash, the CDC says you'll need to use your washing machine's hot water cycle and set it to the longest wash time you can. Next, you'll need to add detergent, run it through the cycle, and then finish the wash off by putting it through your dryer on the highest heat setting your appliance has.

It's also very important to remember to wear gloves while handling soiled laundry, and to wash your hands as soon as you're done.

Anyone who has ever dealt with the stomach bug knows how hard it can be to keep anything down, which is why it's important that you're eating and drinking the right things.

According to Healthline, some common foods to try early in the illness include clear broths and ice chips. Once you think you can stomach more solid foods, try the BRAT diet, which includes bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.

When it comes to what to drink, it's important to remember to stay hydrated and to keep your electrolytes up. Many people turn to things like Gatorade and Pedialyte during these times because they offer hydration and can replace some of the vital minerals that many people lose after a prolonged stomach bug.