Global norovirus stomach bug sweeping across US: CDC
Scientists are getting extra help in combatting the norovirus by a projectile vomiting machine known as Larry.
A new strain of norovirus, which has made people sick in Japan and Western Europe, is now sweeping through the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CBS News reported the CDC said there have been over 140 outbreaks of the new strain since September in the US, which now accounts for over 60 percent of the global cases.
The stomach bug which appeared in Australia last March was dubbed the "GII 4 Sydney," according to the Washington Post.
Norovirus causes both vomiting and diarrhea and some deaths, but mostly among babies and the elderly.
Nursing homes and cruise ships are a common way it is transmitted, the Post wrote.
More from GlobalPost: Passengers threaten riot after norovirus hits British cruise
The CDC said there was a recent outbreak on the Queen Mary 2 ship in late December in which 204 passengers and 16 crew members developed norovirus.
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World. Can we count on you?