A fast-moving stomach bug is spreading across the country, and if you're not careful, doctors say the foodborne illness could ruin your holiday season.

The norovirus, or what some people refer to as the stomach flu, is surging across the country. Children's Health McKinney primary care pediatrician Dr. Nazima Zakhidova said the virus is affecting young people in North Texas.

"It's a big deal. It's going to cause a lot of havoc," Zakhidova said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports nearly 14% of people who were tested for the illness came back positive during the week of November 15th, which is more than double the positivity rate from three months ago.

"It's a very, very contagious virus that spreads quickly, especially in areas of close contact so schools, daycares, cruise ships, things like that," Zakhidova said.

Zakhidova said the virus spreads through direct contact with an infected person, contaminated food or water, and contaminated surfaces.

Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain, body aches, headache, and fever.

"Usually, these symptoms start about 12 to 40 hours after exposure, so it's pretty quick," Zakhidova said. "Most of the time the symptoms last one to three days."

Zakhidova said even after your symptoms subside, that's not always an indication to return to your normal routine.

"It can be contagious up to three days after the symptoms stop, so if you stop having vomiting, diarrhea, and you go out the next day, you could still be passing the virus on," Zakhidova said.

One of the best things you can do to prevent catching norovirus is to wash your hands.

"Try to encourage children to keep their hands from out of their mouths, and then make sure that we're disinfecting doorknobs, kitchen surfaces, bathrooms," Zakhidova said.

The doctor said antibiotics won't work since it's a virus.

"I also recommend that if there's so much vomiting that you can't keep fluids down to seek medical attention with your doctor because sometimes they can prescribe a medicine to help with the vomiting," Zakhidova said.

The norovirus causes more than 100,000 hospitalizations and about 900 deaths each year, according to the CDC. It's particularly dangerous for kids under five years old and adults 65 and older.