So, it's definitely around and today we spoke to Dr Marvin Manzanero via zoom about what he's been seeing in the outpatient setting:

Dr Marvin Manzanero, Internist/Bioethicist
"We are noticing, or people are reporting cases of gastrointestinal infections. We are assuming it's a viral infection, and we more commonly tend to think is going to be the norovirus. The Norwalk virus. It is considered a winter, vomiting disease, so, so to speak."

Jules Vasquez
"If one is feeling the onset of this. What should one do?"

Dr Marvin Manzanero, Internist/Bioethicist
"Well, the more common symptoms, as you're rightly indicating, is diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain or pain in the gastric area, usually gas building up. Some patients are documenting fever and headaches and general malaise. It usually is a self-limiting situation where patients will recover maximum three days. Of course, they're going to feel weak for a couple of days after, but it's in the course of the disease itself, it's usually 1 or 3 days. It usually will come about 12 to 48 hours after you have been in contact with with the virus."

"There is no treatment though Jules. And I think this is very important to stress this out because since it's a viral infection, we routinely are not going to give you, there's not a treatment that you give for the virus itself. What you're going to give is treatment for the stomach pain, for the fever, for the general abdominal discomfort the patient is going to be having."

Jules Vasquez
"What should people drink? A lot of people feel that you have to drink Gatorade or that Pedialyte or something like that."

Dr Marvin Manzanero, Internist/Bioethicist
"Water is always going to be at the center of whatever we tell patients because patients say, well, you're right. People are using these, electrolyte solutions. People are saying, but I can't eat or drink anything because then I have this sense of wanting to vomit."

"Something is going to stay in your stomach, something is going to be absorbed. So it's always important to try to keep hydrating yourself throughout the course of the day. Mindful of the fact that babies, pediatric patients and older patients are more likely to become dehydrated."

"But water remains the key of that. And you don't have to engage in buying any of these expensive products. You can do the self, you know, the, the the oral rehydration salts that you can get, and you mix that in water."

Jules Vasquez
"But is there any way to avoid contracting this virus?"

Dr Marvin Manzanero, Internist/Bioethicist
"But primarily this is a handwashing situation. This is very important that we stress this out because it's proper handwashing."

"Also know that this particular virus, if it is the norovirus that that we have around circulating, - I can't know that for sure - the alcohol based sanitizers that we tend to use a lot instead of a hand washing is not going to be effective simply because of the type of virus that gives you this."

"So it has to be proper hand-washing techniques."

So, again, if you or someone you know catches the bug, the best thing to do is to stay hydrated while it runs its course. Children and older persons may however need to go to a hospital.