It starts with that all-too-familiar rumble in your stomach; maybe you chalk it up to food poisoning. Then the nausea hits, followed by the dreaded dash to the bathroom. Hello, norovirus. This winter season, reports of this virus—popularly known as “winter vomiting disease”—are popping up around the country, with many regions seeing a huge rise in reported cases. According to the CDC, positive results for the virus are at 27.91 percent as of January 4, up from 16.30 percent on November 30. Houston, on the other hand, hasn’t exactly joined the party (at least not officially).

According to Ana Zangeneh, communicable and emerging diseases manager at Harris County Public Health, norovirus cases in Harris County haven’t exactly spiked this winter, but that’s due to a bit of a technicality.

“Norovirus is not a reportable disease in Texas or even at the national level. Health care providers are not required to report single positive cases of norovirus unless it’s an outbreak situation and we have not had any outbreaks in the last year,” Zangeneh says. Her team keeps an eye on potential outbreaks, jumping into action only if they see clusters of two or more related cases.

That’s not to say norovirus isn’t lurking. It thrives in places where people mix and doesn’t take much to increase transmission. During the winter months, people are more likely to huddle indoors for warmth and the virus typically disseminates in these clusters.

“It’s anywhere from November to April when we see most cases and it’s largely because people tend to gather inside when it’s cold outside,” Zangeneh says. “Those congregate settings, where people are in closer quarters, can spread the virus. We’re also in peak travel season, so that’s more opportunities for people to spread the virus.”

Unlike respiratory illnesses that come with coughing or congestion, norovirus sticks to the digestive system, causing cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea; some people also report low-grade fevers or body aches. Since it isn’t tied to sniffles and sneezes, it’s easy to think you might’ve just eaten something funky when those stomach pangs appear. But if you find yourself making way too many trips to the bathroom in a short period, especially alongside persistent nausea, it’s worth considering norovirus as a culprit.

According to Zangeneh, most folks who catch it will ride out a few rough days of vomiting and diarrhea at home and then bounce back. But vulnerable populations, like older adults or folks with compromised immune systems, can have a tougher time—especially when dehydration sets in. She also says that most individuals will recover from the virus without having to visit the doctor, calling it a self-limiting illness with a vast majority of the affected not getting tested.

Most people will likely wait the sickness out at home, stuck between their couch and the bathroom until the body decides enough is enough. But if you can’t keep fluids down or things feel serious, a health care provider can figure out if you have norovirus by running a GI panel (rather than the respiratory tests used for the flu, RSV, and COVID).

Norovirus doesn’t just go away once your symptoms ease. Even after that nauseating carousel ride finally stops, remnants of the virus can linger in your system for weeks.

“We usually start seeing symptoms between 12 and 48 hours after exposure to contamination, and then an individual can start having active symptoms for as long as one day to three days. Once they recover, it’s about one to two weeks that it will continue to shed in their stool,” Zangeneh says.

So how do you avoid getting sick or passing it on? One word: hygiene. Scrubbing your hands with soap and water—especially after using the bathroom or before handling food—is important. If you’ve been affected and you’re recovering, consider letting someone else handle the cooking for a bit. It’s easy to spread the virus by preparing meals when you’re still not at 100 percent.

By practicing good hygiene and paying attention to signs of dehydration, you can steer clear of a rough ride on the norovirus cycle. If you do wind up with the winter vomiting disease, remember that while you probably won’t need a doctor’s note, you’ll definitely want to be ready with lots of fluids, some bland foods, and maybe a decent queue of shows to binge while your stomach works things out.