Cases of norovirus are surging in the United States. It’s the country’s leading cause of foodborne illnesses but there have been even more outbreaks than usual recently — hitting schools, holiday gatherings and cruise ships.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Norovirus, also known as the stomach flu, rang in 2025 in a big way across the United States, and continues to surge. The highly contagious virus causes vomiting and diarrhea, and a record number of outbreaks have been reported for this time of year, according to recent data.

Outbreaks of the highly-contagious seasonal illness also known as the ''stomach flu'' are at their highest recorded level in more than a decade. The FOX Medical Team's Dr. Mike Cirigliano joined Paul Milliken and Alex Whittler with a look at why the bug is hitting harder this year and what you can do to protect yourself.

What's behind the spike in norovirus cases? Cases went down during the pandemic, likely due to better hand hygiene. This spike is likely due to people returning to our old, nasty habits.