LOS ANGELES — The highly contagious norovirus, sometimes referred to as the stomach flu, is on the rise in California, prompting state health officials to urge healthcare providers to step up disinfection efforts in a bid to check the spread.
There have been at least 25 outbreaks of norovirus since Feb. 1, likely adding up to hundreds of cases statewide, according to a recent advisory from the California Department of Public Health.
They include several outbreaks at long-term care facilities and one severe enough to force a Los Angeles County elementary school to temporarily close.
