By Li Muzi
In recent days, a large number of students at a senior high school in Foshan City, Guangdong Province, have been infected with norovirus, exhibiting symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea. As of 8:00 a.m. on Jan. 17, the number of officially reported infections had reached 103. However, some local netizens have questioned whether the true number of cases has been underreported, and have claimed that similar outbreaks have occurred at other schools in the region.
According to China’s state-run news agency Xinhua, local health authorities in Sanshui District, Foshan, confirmed that students at Foshan Huada Xinghui Senior High School had recently fallen ill. After sample testing and investigation by disease control officials, the illness was preliminarily identified as a norovirus outbreak. As of Jan. 17, health officials reported 103 confirmed cases. All infected students were said to be in stable condition, with no critical illnesses or deaths reported.
Norovirus is a common cause of acute gastroenteritis, typically characterized by sudden onset of vomiting and diarrhea. The Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention notes that October through March is the peak season for norovirus transmission in the province. Schools, kindergartens, and other densely populated institutions are considered high-risk environments for outbreaks.
Despite the official figures, some Guangdong netizens expressed skepticism, accusing authorities and state media of underreporting the scale of the outbreak. One commenter wrote: “There’s no way it’s this low. Students who came home from school before the holiday on the 16th said that in both Grade 10 and Grade 11, each grade still had more than 20 infected students. Each grade has about 300 students.”
For the best of our weekly content！
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Check your email to complete sign up
Hundreds feared infected
Others claimed that outbreaks were occurring at additional schools: “At Liang Guifeng Middle School in Lecong, Shunde, more than a hundred people have been infected as well.”
Some netizens reported school shutdowns and voiced broader distrust: “Yes, classes here have been suspended for the past two days.”
“Another incident in Foshan—surprising? Last time mosquitoes took the blame. Who will take the blame this time?”
“Could it be that some students have organs that someone wants, so a virus is released, forcing medical exams? Capital interests stirring things up again?”
Others rejected the official explanation entirely, attributing the illnesses to food safety issues rather than viral infection: “The ingredients aren’t fresh, food has spoiled, leftovers from the morning are reheated and served again in the afternoon—that’s the real truth.”
“How many school cafeterias has norovirus already taken the blame for?”
“The root cause is school cafeterias becoming profit-driven transactions.”
“Most likely a cafeteria food issue.”
“This virus spreads way too fast.”
Norovirus outbreaks on Chinese campuses have become increasingly common in recent years.
Major norovirus outbreak at Binzhou Vocational College
In mid-October 2025, a major norovirus outbreak occurred at Binzhou Vocational College in Shandong Province. Beginning on Oct. 14, students began experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and fever. A total of 413 people sought medical treatment, including 17 who required hospitalization. Students reported that shared dormitory bathrooms became overcrowded due to widespread diarrhea, with long lines forming, and infection rates in some classes reportedly reaching 50 percent. Numerous Shandong netizens directly blamed contaminated drinking water, with some asserting that “thousands must have been infected.”
On Aug. 31, 2025, a water contamination incident occurred at Shenyang Normal University, where large numbers of students developed gastrointestinal symptoms. Shenyang authorities later announced that as many as 2,087 people had experienced gastroenteritis, with new cases still emerging. Officials attributed the incident to norovirus contamination of the school’s water storage tanks, classifying it as a sudden public health emergency. Many mainland Chinese netizens questioned this explanation, writing: “Isn’t this food poisoning? Don’t let the virus take the blame.”
“The cafeteria contractor and staff served spoiled overnight food to students.”
Earlier, on Dec. 31, 2024, a mass norovirus outbreak occurred at a primary school in Lincang City, Yunnan Province. Large numbers of students were hospitalized, with 121 primary school students confirmed infected. Authorities did not release an official statement until three days later, prompting public criticism. In comment sections across mainland China, netizens from multiple regions reported similar local outbreaks, including cluster infections.