The virus, often colloquially referred to as “stomach flu,” saw the percentage of positive tests double during the first week of January compared to last year. Positive test percentages for cases of norovirus in the United States are double what they were at the same period a year ago,

Rates of norovirus in that CDC system have reached levels at or above last season's peak in all regions of the country. Norovirus test positivity rates look to be the worst in the Midwest, in a grouping of states spanning Kansas through Michigan.

Ah, the classic signs of winter: Freezing temperatures, icy roads and empty tissue boxes. It's no secret that winter is a time when illness is prominent. Coughs, colds, and viruses are seemingly running rampant this time of year. This is thanks to the drier air and an influx of time spent indoors, according to the Mayo Clinic.