MILWAUKEE — It's that time of year—cold and flu season. Norovirus is making its rounds too.
The Department of Health Services says preliminary data shows 107 outbreaks in the state for 2024, up from 15 in 2023.
One person who saw this increase firsthand was Shauna Acker.
"I woke up, my stomach felt weird, not like every day, and I got really nauseous," Acker told TMJ4. "I was very surprised. I'm not one to get sick ever...but for whatever reason, my body could not fight it off this time around."
For Acker, the symptoms only lasted a day. That wasn't the case for Megyn McCaustland's children.
Watch: Local families impacted by recent norovirus surge speak out:
"Trying to drink water, I'd end up just throwing that up," said Lilly Hare, Megyn's child "Trying to eat was just out of the question because I was too worried about throwing that up as well."
Now, the focus is on preventing it from happening again.
Here are some ways the city of Milwaukee urges people to prevent norovirus:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water (hand sanitizer is not effective against norovirus).
- Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces.
- Stay home if you're feeling sick, and avoid preparing or handling food for others while ill.
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