Does norovirus infection cause vomiting?

The illness can begin abruptly and may leave you feeling weak because fluid is being lost through vomiting or loose stools. Vomiting has many possible causes, so it does not by itself identify norovirus.

Norovirus affects the stomach and intestines. Nausea may come before vomiting, and stomach cramps can occur with watery diarrhoea. Symptoms can make eating difficult for a short time, but keeping fluids down is usually the immediate priority.

The infection can spread easily through close contact, contaminated food, or contaminated surfaces. Careful handwashing with soap and water after using the toilet and before handling food helps reduce spread to people around you.

Take small, frequent sips of water or an oral rehydration drink rather than large drinks, which can trigger more vomiting. If you can eat, choose plain foods in small amounts and return to your usual diet as your appetite settles.

Rest, clean shared bathroom and kitchen surfaces, and avoid preparing food for others while you are unwell. A pharmacist can advise on suitable oral rehydration products and whether any medicine is appropriate for your circumstances.

Seek urgent medical assessment if you cannot keep fluids down, pass very little urine, become confused, faint, have severe or worsening abdominal pain, vomit blood, or notice blood in your stool. These signs can indicate dehydration or another problem needing prompt care.

Contact a clinician sooner for vomiting in a baby, an older adult, a pregnant person, or someone with a condition or treatment that can make dehydration harder to manage.

Ask whether your symptoms and examination suggest a stomach infection or another cause of vomiting, which fluids are most suitable, and which warning signs should lead you to seek care again. Mention any medicines you take and whether you have been able to urinate normally.