SANTA FE – New Mexico public health officials say they’re investigating multiple outbreaks around the state of highly contagious disease often called the stomach flu.

Precautions such as frequent hand-washing are advised to prevent norovirus infection, the Department of Health said Tuesday in a statement, adding that hand sanitizer does not work against norovirus.

According to the department, it’s important that precautions be taken around the very young, the elderly and people at any age with weakened immune systems because they are at risk for more serious illness from norovirus infection.

Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea and it spread easily from person to person, the department said.