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Busan Metropolitan City to Strengthen Comprehensive Norovirus Surveillance: Expanding Monitoring System

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Busan Metropolitan City Institute of Health & Environment (hereinafter referred to as the Institute) announced that, in order to prevent group outbreaks of norovirus, it will expand the scope of surveillance beyond existing groundwater-centered testing to include food and environmental samples from childcare facilities, thereby strengthening the monitoring system.

This measure reflects findings that major transmission routes of norovirus are not limited to groundwater but also include contaminated food and various environmental contact points such as doorknobs, faucets, and toys. It is being promoted to establish a more proactive and comprehensive surveillance system. In particular, facilities used by infants and young children, such as daycare centers and kindergartens, are highly vulnerable to infection and have a high risk of rapid spread due to group living, and will therefore be included as key management targets.

The Institute has continuously conducted surveys on norovirus contamination centered on facilities using groundwater, confirming the importance of groundwater management. However, as cases of infection through cooked food and various environmental factors involving hand contact continue to be reported, the need to expand the scope of the norovirus surveillance program has been raised.

Accordingly, starting in 2026, the Institute plans to broaden its investigation scope to include not only groundwater but also high-risk foods for norovirus and various environmental samples such as doorknobs, faucets, and toys in childcare facilities.

In addition, based on the test results, the Institute will strengthen customized guidance and inspections for hygiene-vulnerable facilities and carry out field-centered preventive activities to minimize the risk of norovirus-related foodborne illness. Through these efforts, it aims to create a safer food service environment and help prevent group infections.

Meanwhile, in March, in line with the start of the spring semester, environmental sample inspections were conducted at 10 childcare facilities in parallel with hygiene inspections of kindergartens. The results confirmed that norovirus was not detected in any of the samples.

The results indicate that the overall hygiene management level of the surveyed childcare facilities in Busan is satisfactory. The Institute also plans to continue monitoring other childcare facilities not included in this survey.

Lee Yong-ju, Director of the Busan Metropolitan City Institute of Health & Environment, stated, “Norovirus is an infectious disease that can easily spread in daily life, so adherence to basic hygiene practices such as handwashing is of utmost importance. The Institute will do its utmost to ensure that citizens can live with peace of mind by strengthening a surveillance system that encompasses groundwater, food, and the living environment.”