Noroviruses, also known as food poisoning or the stomach bug, are “ common and highly contagious ,” according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. About 1 in 15 people across the U.S. get the virus annually, experts said.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported double the cases of norovirus compared with previous years in early December after outbreaks were reported across the country.

Outbreaks of the highly contagious stomach virus are more than double what they were last year at the time, CDC says. Protect yourself by washing hands with soap often — antibacterial gel doesn't work well against the virus.

Outbreaks of the stomach flu are spreading across the U.S and are far higher than average for December over the past 12 years, according to CDC figures.

New data shows cases of norovirus are rising in the U.S. According to the CDC, state health departments reported 91 cases during the week of Dec. 5, which is almost three times greater than the average weekly high of cases reported between 2021 and 2024.