South Korea Reports Alarming Rise in Norovirus Cases, Highest in 5 Years

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) requests compliance with hygiene guidelines for infants and toddlers and related facilities (daycare centers, kids cafes, etc.) as the number of norovirus infections increases and the proportion of patients in the infant and toddler age group is high. The number of patients with norovirus infection reached its highest level in the past five years (548 patients in the two weeks of 2026), with infants and young children (ages 0-6) accounting for 39.6% of all patients. The number of patients with norovirus infection has been steadily increasing since the first week of November last year (Week 45 of 2025), reaching its highest level in the past five years as of the second week of January. Norovirus infections occur annually, primarily from late fall to early spring (November to March). The primary route of infection is through ingestion of contaminated water (groundwater) or food (e.g., seafood). However, person-to-person transmission through direct contact with an infected person or through droplets from their vomit can also occur. Symptoms of norovirus infection, including vomiting and diarrhea, typically appear within 12 to 48 hours, and some individuals may also experience abdominal pain, chills, and fever. For prevention, wash your hands for more than 30 seconds with soap rather than hand sanitizer, wash food in running water, and cook it thoroughly at 85℃ or higher for more than 1 minute, and eat food that is cooked safely and hygienically. Patients with norovirus infection should refrain from attending school, work, or daycare for 48 hours after symptoms resolve. They should also separate their living spaces, including bathrooms, from other household members. Furthermore, when using the toilet, close the toilet lid after flushing to prevent the spread of norovirus through droplets. Outbreak News Today is a free news source. However, if you like the work I do at this website and find it valuable, please consider a paid subscription for as little as $5/month. It would be appreciated. In particular, because norovirus can be transmitted with just a small amount of food, there is a high risk of cluster infections in childcare facilities such as daycare centers. Therefore, all items, including toys, and contact surfaces such as doorknobs in areas where vomiting or diarrhea has occurred must be cleaned and disinfected. Lim Seung-kwan, the director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, urged, “In order to prevent norovirus-related gastrointestinal infections during the winter, people should especially wash their hands and eat safely prepared food,” and emphasized, “Since it occurs frequently in infants and young children who have difficulty maintaining personal hygiene on their own, parents and teachers should actively guide infants and young children to practice proper handwashing in their daily lives.”