Public Health Sudbury and Districts is warning that an increase in gastrointestinal illness reported in child care centres and in the community is likely due to norovirus.

Iit says the virus is present in the stool and vomit of those infected and spread primarily through person-to-person contact or contamination of food prepared by someone who did not wash their hands properly. 

Symptoms  typically last from one to two days and can include vomiting  diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, body aches and sometime fever.

According to the health unit people can spread the virus for up to several days after symptoms stop. It says those who are ill should stay home and away from vulnerable people and places such as hospitals, long term care homes and child care centres.