Parts of the country, including Florida, have seen a rise in cases this year of norovirus, a contagious virus that often causes vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain. People know it as the stomach flu, stomach bug or the “cruise ship virus” because it’s often the cause of most diarrhea outbreaks on cruise ships.

Norovirus, the highly contagious stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhea, is spiking across the US. What to know about symptoms and prevention.

Cases of norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug, are surging in parts of the United States this winter, according to government data.

The dreaded norovirus illness known for severe bouts of vomiting, diarrhea and cramps is making life miserable for an increasing number of people as the illness surges.

Stomach bugs are highly contagious and spread easily from person to person through ingesting the virus, which can be found in feces and vomit.

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.

Outbreaks of norovirus across the country in 2024 are more than double the cases of the illness compared to previous years, according to a CDC report.