Rotavirus cases are rising across the United States, with the Northeast seeing 9.6% of tests positive for the week ending April 11, surpassing levels from the previous two years at this time.
This increase coincides with declining vaccination rates, as only 73.8% of American children are now vaccinated against the virus, a figure that has been falling steadily since the pandemic disrupted routine immunizations.
Health officials warn that lower immunization coverage weakens herd immunity, leaving infants who are too young to be vaccinated or those with medical exemptions at greater risk of infection.
Before the vaccine became available in 2006, rotavirus caused up to 70,000 hospitalizations and 20 to 60 deaths annually among U.S. Children, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
The virus spreads easily through microscopic amounts of infected stool on hands, surfaces, and food, and can be shed for up to 10 days after symptoms start, allowing transmission even after a child appears to have recovered.
Symptoms include severe vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain, with dehydration posing the greatest danger — signs to watch for include lethargy, dry skin, fewer wet diapers, and crying without tears.
While hand hygiene helps, the CDC emphasizes that vaccination remains the most effective protection, with the oral vaccine given in two or three doses starting at two months of age and completed by eight months.
Experts note that improved surveillance methods, including wastewater testing, are now detecting more cases than in past years, though testing volume remains lower than during peak pandemic monitoring.
In settings where vaccination coverage has dropped, outbreaks are emerging not only in traditional hotspots like the Northeast but also in the West and Midwest, reversing years of progress since the vaccine’s introduction.
Public health officials stress that the vaccine prevents an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 hospitalizations each year in the U.S., a benefit that could erode if current trends continue.
How long does a rotavirus infection typically last?
The illness usually runs its course in up to eight days, with symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea peaking early and gradually subsiding as the body clears the virus.
Can adults get rotavirus?
While infants and young children are most vulnerable, outbreaks have occurred in older populations, including nursing homes, particularly when immunity from prior infection or vaccination has waned.
