As the world continues to struggle with the COVID19 outbreak, two other viral infections — Norovirus and Monkey B have been reported from the United Kingdom and China respectively.

According to the UK’s health agency Public Health England (PHE), since the end of May, 154 cases of norovirus have been recorded in England and as per the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a veterinary surgeon was reported to have died of the Monkey B virus in May.

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While the symptoms of Monkey B are akin to flu, which include fever and chills, muscle pain, tiredness and headache, the Norovirus manifests the symptoms as that of food poisoning — diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain.

What is Norovirus?

The Norovirus is not a new virus and has been known to infect people in large numbers.

According to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Norovirus is a highly-contagious virus that is responsible for almost half of the all food-related sickness in the US.

While Norovirus is also called stomach flu, it is not related to the seasonal flu, which is caused by the usual influenza virus, and it is neither linked to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID19. Other names for norovirus include ‘food poisoning’ and a ‘stomach bug’.

Norovirus is found in the fecal matter and vomit of people who’ve been infected by the virus. People contract norovirus by accidentally consuming traces of these feces or vomit, which are usually found on the surface of unwashed food, water, or on a contaminated surface.

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“You can use alcohol-based hand sanitizers in addition to hand washing, but you should not use hand sanitizer as a substitute for washing your hands with soap and water. Hand sanitizers aren’t as effective as washing hands with soap and water at removing norovirus particles,” the CDC stated in its instructions for preventing Norovirus.

What is Monkey B virus?

A 53-year-old veterinary doctor from China has been reported to be the first human casualty due to the Monkey B virus.

China CDC Weekly reported on July 17 that the veterinarian began experiencing nausea and vomiting a month after dissecting a monkey in March, and fever, neurological symptoms soon followed. He was reported to have visited several hospitals but eventually died on May 27.

The Monkey B virus is caused by macaques, a genus of monkeys who are its natural host. While the virus is transmitted by macaques, chimpanzees and capuchin monkeys are also found to be infected by it.

Meanwhile, according to US CDC, Monkey B virus infections in people were rare and since its first detection in 1932, it has infected 50 people, 21 of which died.

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The virus is found in the bodily fluids and the brain or spinal cord tissue of macaques and can survive for hours on surfaces, particularly when moist. While the risk of human beings getting infected by the virus is low, laboratory workers, veterinarians, and others who may be exposed to monkeys are highly vulnerable.