An acute gastroenteritis outbreak caused by GII.17 norovirus in Jiangsu province, China

Highlights • A rare norovirus genotype GII.17 variant caused outbreaks in a high school in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province China in the winter of 2014. • The outbreak is caused by the first case which was affected outside the school. • Epidemic curve and epidemical investigation indicated this outbreak was a point source type initially, followed by secondary person-to-person transmission. • The water cooler in the classroom increased the risk of cross-contamination.