GEORGETOWN, S.C. —  It seems everybody’s got it, or at least everybody knows someone who does.

It’s not exactly the flu, but it is enough to keep you in bed for a day or more.

For the past couple of weeks, the number of people having to miss work or school due to sickness has increased.

The parking lots of doctors offices are full and more people are visiting the emergency rooms because of the virus.

Ronda Wilson, Georgetown Hospital Systems public relations director, said there has been a noticeable “uptick” in the number of people visiting the emergency rooms in Georgetown and Murrells Inlet.

Thier symptoms are similar to those associated with the Norovirus.

This is the same illness that struck more than 400 passengers aboard a Celebrity Cruise which departed from Charleston last month.

Norovirus can spread quickly in closed quarters. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.

Several factors have contributed to people getting sick recently, said Adam Myrick, public information director of the state's Department of Health and Environmental Control.

It's flu season, and both H1N1 and seasonal flu are still around, he said.

It's also been a cold winter, and people are spending more time indoors, which likely contributes to more respiratory infections. And, there have been numerous outbreaks of Norovirus and other "unknown enteric" conditions, he said.

Wilson said there is no particular age group the sickness is hitting.

“It’s  non-discriminatory,” she said.

Staying healthy

• Wash hands often.

• Wipe down doorknobs, faucets and commodes daily with solution made up of one cup of bleach to nine cups of water.

• Use separate hand towels.

• Refrain from chewing on fingernails or pens.