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<h1 class="gmail-headline" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">Norovirus Cases Come Ashore In Florida</h1>
                
                        
                        
                
                        
                
                                
                                
                                
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                                                                ERIC PERA / The Ledger
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
                                                        
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                                                                <span class="gmail-article-meta-date">Posted Feb 11, 2003 at 2:23 AM</span>
                
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                                                        <p>LAKELAND -- Outbreaks of the virus that plagued some of the 
state’s cruise lines last year are popping up in Polk and at least 17 
other counties, prompting an investigation by state health officials.</p><p>The Florida Department of Health inquiry into the Norovirus, also known as Norwalk-like virus, was made public Monday.</p><p>In
 Polk, dozens of residents in a long-term care facility came down with 
the stomach illness in early January, but no other cases have been 
confirmed, Polk Health Director Daniel Haight said.</p><p>Haight would not identify the facility or release any information about the victims.</p><p>He stressed, however, the importance of hand washing at work or any public venue.</p><p>Although
 highly contagious, Norovirus is not considered especially dangerous, 
although the very young and the elderly may become dehydrated if not 
properly treated, Haight said.</p><p>Norovirus is really a group of 
viruses that cause symptoms that mimic the stomach flu, such as nausea, 
vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.</p>
<p>“It’s definitely not the flu,” Haight said.</p><p>Symptoms of Norovirus last up to three days, and may be associated with a low-grade fever, headache, muscle aches and fatigue.</p>   <div class="gmail-ad-container">
                
        </div><p>“This illness is extremely common during the winter months, 
when people are more likely to be confined indoors,” state Department of
 Health Secretary John O. Agwunobi said in a news release.</p><p>In addition to human contact, the virus is spread through contaminated water and food.</p><br></div></div>

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