Norovirus cases spike above 5-year average, PHAC says – GLOBAL

December 31, 2024

Norovirus, commonly known as the stomach bug, may be hitting Canadians harder this time of year with reported cases rising above previous averages, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Preliminary data from recent weeks shows norovirus cases are being reported countrywide at higher rates than the five-year average from 2019 to 2023, PHAC said in an email to Global News on Monday.

The agency noted that while cases are reported to the National Enteric Surveillance Program (NESP), it was unable to provide specific data on the number of cases.

“This has been noted for multiple provinces, including Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia,” a PHAC spokesperson said in the email, adding that the high reported numbers should be viewed with caution.

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/10937815/norovirus-cases-spike-5-year-average-phac-canada/