Savannah Guthrie Returns to “Today ”After Being Out Sick: 'The Norovirus Blazed Through the House'

Guthrie missed the Thursday, Jan. 16 episode of 'Today' after she and her family succumbed to the norovirus

Savannah Guthrie has made a rapid recovery!

After the Today co-anchor missed the show on Thursday, Jan. 16, she was back on Friday, revealing to her new co-anchor Craig Melvin exactly what led to her absence. 

“Glad you’re back,” Melvin told Guthrie. “Feeling better?”

“The norovirus, I mean, it blazed through the house,” Guthrie replied. “But it was a quick mover. We’re all better.”

Related: Craig Melvin Jokes Savannah Guthrie 'Decided to Bail' After 3 Days as He Anchors Today Without Her

The mother of two shares a daughter Vale, 10, and son Charley, 8, with her husband Michael Feldman.

In an Instagram Stories post on Thursday, Guthrie shared a screenshot of her Oura Ring app, which stated, “Your biometrics show major signs of something straining your body.” 

She had attended a Tonight Show appearance alongside Melvin on Wednesday night, “Then succumbed to the norovirus blazing through my house," she said.

Guthrie looked forlorn in a selfie as she donned a striped beanie and dark clothing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the norovirus is “a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea.” 

Although it’s commonly called the stomach flu due to the shared symptoms, norovirus isn’t caused by the influenza virus. “You can get norovirus by accidentally getting tiny particles of feces (poop) or vomit in your mouth from a person infected with norovirus,” the CDC notes. The reason it’s so contagious is because when you’re sick, “you can shed billions of norovirus particles that you can’t see without a microscope,” the agency explains. 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

This week was Melvin’s first as a co-anchor on the Today show. The longtime journalist poked fun at Guthrie’s absence on Thursday, announcing that she was out sick. 

"I know what you're thinking, that after three days of Craig she decided to bail," Melvin quipped. 

Related: Hoda Kotb Wears Meaningful Bracelet and Ring Gifted by Savannah Guthrie on Her Last Day at Today: ‘Thankful’

Jokes aside, Guthrie has complete confidence in Melvin, telling PEOPLE, “Craig has proven himself to be an incredible journalist, a basically flawless broadcaster, a warm, engaging interviewer and a wonderful colleague and teammate."

"We’re just so lucky that the perfect person for this job was sitting right next to us the whole time," she added.

Melvin tells PEOPLE that he and Guthrie have become “dear friends” over the years, “so going on this adventure with her is something that I’m really excited about.”