Increase in Norovirus Food Poisoning Centered on Kindergartens and Daycare Centers

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] Recently, reports of suspected food poisoning have been increasing, particularly in restaurants, daycare centers, and kindergartens.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 14th that the number of suspected food poisoning cases reported last month was 50 cases (485 people), which is double the number reported in January over the past five years (2018?2022).

[Image provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]

Among these, restaurants accounted for half with 25 cases (119 people), followed by daycare centers and kindergartens with 18 cases (234 people). In restaurants, the increase in suspected food poisoning reports is attributed to a surge in gatherings following the lifting of social distancing measures.

Daycare centers and kindergartens are analyzed to have continuous infections of norovirus patients due to direct and indirect contact in crowded group living spaces. As of the end of December last year, among 156 reported norovirus patients, 87 (57%) were aged 0?6 years.

Norovirus is an enteric virus that causes food poisoning when contaminated water or food is ingested. It can survive even at minus 20°C, making it common in winter. The outbreak usually starts in November and continues until spring of the following year, but recently, cases have been occurring until early summer in June.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety urged thorough personal hygiene management because norovirus food poisoning occurs by consuming contaminated food and water (groundwater) and is often transmitted through contact between people via patients’ feces, vomit, saliva, and contaminated hands. To prevent norovirus food poisoning, it is important to practice ▲ hygiene management such as handwashing during cooking ▲ refraining from cooking when symptoms are suspected ▲ preventing groundwater contamination.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.