With a confirmed case of enterovirus D68 reported in New Jersey, school and hospital officials in Middlesex County are urging preventative measures.
“This is a virus we see every year in health care. There are 100 types of enteroviruses — this just happens to be a variation that we have not seen a lot of. It started in the Missouri region and it is in many states throughout [the country] now,” Dr. Christopher Haines, chief medical officer of the Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, said during a Sept. 29 press conference.
Haines said the virus is commonly found in younger children and is rarely seen in adults.
A representative of the New Jersey Department of Health said a Sussex County youth was confirmed to have the virus on Sept. 17.
There have been no other confirmed cases in the state.
According to the Middlesex County Office of Health Services, enterovirus D68, also known as EV-D68, is a viral respiratory infection that can cause symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and low blood-oxygen levels. Mild symptoms of the infection include fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough and muscle aches.
The county distributed a fact sheet and letter regarding the virus to all Middlesex County schools and college campuses. Haines said most children suffering from the infection will only see mild cold symptoms, but parents should be cautious.
“You can have deaths from this. As I have said though, 99.99 percent of these children will just have colds — severe colds. You have to be careful if you have underlying asthma or underlying illness. Then you should seek attention early. It is really just being preventative, working with the schools and working with the county and trying to prevent it ahead of time,” he said.
According to the fact sheet, some ways to prevent children from getting the virus is washing hands, avoiding sharing cups and utensils with someone who is sick, and staying home from school if ill.
“This is the type of virus that, through proper care such as hand washing, we can avoid the spread. I want to encourage parents that if your child is ill, keep them home. That is a great way to prevent the spread of illness. They will recuperate a lot quicker if they are home and we can prevent the spread of the virus,” said Middlesex County Freeholder H. James Polos, who chairs of the county’s Public Safety and Health Committee.
“We believe that prevention is the best way to combat the spread of this virus,” he said.
Infants and children are more likely to contract EV-D68 because they do not yet have the immunity built up from previous exposures to enteroviruses, according to the county.