How long does the diarrhea last?

Even the mostly watery diarrhea that occurs in a norovirus infection can be over after 12 hours or last up to 48 hours. Under certain circumstances, however, the diarrhoea can also last longer. Unlike vomiting, diarrhea caused by noroviruses should not be treated with drugs that restrict the intestine’s mobility (e.g. Loperamid®).

It is important to excrete the stool containing the pathogen. Restricted intestinal passage is therefore an obstacle to recovery. It is more important to drink a lot and, in the case of particularly severe diarrhea, to take up electrolytes through drinking solutions or, in extreme cases, even replace them intravenously. Our next article could also be interesting for you: What is the transmission path of noroviruses?

Duration of headache and aching limbs

Headache and aching limbs accompany the main symptoms of vomiting and/or diarrhea. They usually subside with these symptoms, but may also be present in the phase after the severe symptoms have subsided. Muscle and joint pain is in this sense the more precise term for pain in the limbs. In the case of a norovirus infection, muscle pain is more likely to be described as joint pain.

Duration of sick leave

A certificate of incapacity to work should be issued at least for the severe phase of illness with vomiting and diarrhoea, as the sick person is highly infectious and not able to work during this time. However, if there is a risk of infecting other people at work even after the symptoms have subsided, as in the food processing industry, the sick note must be issued at least 2 days after the end of the symptoms.

Incubation period duration

The incubation period – that is the time between the absorption of the pathogen into the body and the appearance of the first symptoms – is approximately between 6 hours and 2 days for norovirus infection. After the incubation period, the disease begins very suddenly and acutely, usually with torrential vomiting and watery diarrhea.