Norovirus epidemic possible in Germany

"The incubation period is 24 - 48 hours, the illness itself lasts 24 to 60 hours"

The World Cup being at least 5 months ago, it's unlikely it was the Brits who started it here during that time. More likely they all had really bad hangovers.

Sounds a lot like what I had the other week. Only lasted 24 hours for me, thankfully.

My family has been dealing with this since Saturday... My oldest daughter just started to vomit this morning... so we will be avoiding the general population for the rest of the christmas holiday dinner tonight is cancelled in case you read this and did not get an email... it will be rescheduled sometime in January.

Oh dear. Make sure you keep her hydrated and do not hesitate to take her to ER if she cannot keep liquid down. All the best!

Hmm. Haven't had any problems in Berlin. Don't come in here, you infected sots.

Norovirus Breaks Out At San Quentin Prison

i have noticed a lot of (female) colleagues getting those paper toilet covers before they go to the toilet. maybe i should start this too? although last week i had 4 hour bought of the runs, then it went away.

EDIT: nope, must have been something else since i had no vomiting. damn.

Prevention tip our pediatrician gave us: we are in Switzerland, so the name might be different in Germany, but he recommends regularly taking Bioflorin (concentrated lactobacillus) or something similar during norovirus epidemics. I guess it helps tone your guts and keep them stronger/more resistant to viruses. A colleague at work swears by regularly drinking homemade kefir as well, as prevention. Maybe those yoghurt drinks too help...but again this is prevention stuff. And handwashing, handwashing, handwashing. Another tip: you should wash for a minimum of 20 seconds – that means singing happy birthday two times. Or using hand steriliser stuff. Does anyone remember when stomach flu was only something you got as a child? What's happening in the last 3 years??? Good health to all!

god, I have just caught this -please kill me! Two nights with no sleep is not good times.
I work as an Au Pair, I have been quarantined to my room and to one bathroom, and the kids have been sent to the grandparents.

Is it true that really strong sweet black tea, can help stop the vomiting and diarehia? The guest mother, keeps making it and leaving it at my door and telling me to drink it.

Is there anything I can do to help with the gas in my tummy, it is causing me a lot of extra pain.

The very best thing for nausea is ginger. Stick a bit under your tongue or soak some in hot water. I had a stomach condition ivolving nausea for 3 yrs and that was the only thing that helped. It really does work!

Hot black tea, no sugar. Sweetener is ok, but not overmuch. Salt crackers, pretzel sticks, dry toast, cold boiled potatoes. Starch and minerals are what you need.

Drink Fenchel-Anis-Kümmel-Tee (fennel-aniseed-caraway-tea). It really helps. You fart like hell but feel very good after it.

Black tea is good as it's fairly mild and doesn't usually cause you to throw it straight back up. Don't sweeten it though. I recommend this mainly for relieving the dehydration which makes you feel just as bad as the actual sickness.

Bad news it has arrived! I have had it for last few days, and at least 3 other TTers and lots of work people...Sarabyrd ...the topic starter is now trying to make grooves in the carpet between the bedroom and the loo as she "runs" back and forward occasionally stopping to grab a fresh bucket on the way.

but the good thing is it does give the stomach muscles a serious work out, I am over strain of seeing if I can projectile vomit enough to hit the far wall of the bedroom or hit the bucket from 20 feet, but god it bloody hurts to sneeze, its not the best way of trying to get a six pack

Farting is most definitely NOT an option with this thing!

According to the "Spiegel", the Dutch cruise ship “Lady Anne” with 110 passengers (most of them elderly Britains) and crew members on board was forced to stop at Boppard on the Rhine due to a Norwalk virus epidemic on board. The cruise ship was put under quarantine after 37 people fell victim to the virus, 16 patients were transported to local hospitals to battle dehydration. The other passengers and crew members are not allowed to leave the ship due to the highly contagious nature of the illness. The ship’s chef is among the victims.

Authorities think that the ship will be able to continue its journey by Thursday after being disinfected, providing that the victims have recovered.

My parents got this about 4 weeks ago. They are over 80, and my father ended up in hospital being rehydrated. They are ok now, but it is very debilitating. The hospital was having serious problems both in finding beds for all the people who needed to be admitted, and also having problems with staffing as nursing staff caught it from the patients. It was also mentioned in a local newspaper in Cheshire (the other side of the uk to my parents) - apparently the same problem there.

Someone mentioned that you can get a vacc to help protect against this - is that true?

My son has it... started barfing at 3 a.m. sigh!

Apparently a 12-48 hr incubation time, so get ready.

Your weekend is shot, mlovett. Wear gloves when you go shopping (if you can leave the kiddo that long), keep all contact at a minimum and remember: He stays contagious up to 50 hours after the symptoms have ended.

oh gawd... I can feel my bowels rumbling already. He had a playdate yesterday with 2 boys who were complaining of "Bauchschmerzen" (my son was not!), so I need to inform their mom. We canceled this morning's playdate. I will ready all extra bed sheets. He is only 4 and so doesn't necessarily make it to the toilet for vomitous eruptous.

My husband took today off, and he actually still wants to drag us to ADAC for my license extension business, and other sundry errands... Can y'all please have a word with him??

Mr. Husband Man, do NOT try this. You will live to regret it.

I told him, ok, we take YOUR car, and YOU clean up the barf on YOUR leather seats...

He decided that we get to stay home. no ADAC today.

My sympathies to those afflicted. I do hope you get some great abs and lose a few pounds from it, at least!

Does anyone know how long this sort of epidemic lasts?

Until spring.

So what is it about Winter that keeps it going? I thought the projectile vomiting came from fecal bacteria, which is on everything apparently. (Grocery cart handles have one of the highest measured percentages of fecal material. Gross.)

Makes you think twice about holding onto handrails on stairs, escalators, and above all shaking hands.

Avoid touching public restroom door handles. Lots of folks don't wash their hands when they are done. yuck.