""Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe and fatal diarrhea in young children worldwide, but vaccines can stop this deadly disease," says nonprofit health organization PATH on its website."
""It's extremely contagious," Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco, explained, noting that rotavirus is one of the lesser-known gastrointestinal illnesses."
"The CDC suggests administering the rotavirus vaccine among children because hand-washing alone isn't enough to curb the illness from spreading."
"Individuals are most contagious when they have symptoms, but they can spread the virus up to three days after they feel better."
Rotavirus is causing a significant outbreak in Northern California, particularly affecting children aged 3 to 35 months. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, and severe diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and hospitalization. WastewaterSCAN reports high rates of rotavirus in several cities, with the CDC noting that around 50,000 children are hospitalized annually in the U.S. The virus spreads easily in crowded settings and can be prevented through vaccination, as hand-washing alone is insufficient to control its spread.
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