Mom Of Child Who Died At Wanaque Facility Wants Answers

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — The mother of one of the seven children who died after contracting the adenovirus at Wanaque rehabilitation facility wants answers.

Kristine Deleg's daughter Elizabeth died Tuesday after contracting the virus, NorthJersey.com reported. According to the report, the Wanauqe Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing did not inform her about the outbreak until Monday, nearly three weeks after Elizabeth was admitted to St. Joseph's University Medical Center in Paterson.

Four children who were diagnosed with the adenovirus at the facility have been moved to a hospital to ensure they receive proper medical care, state health officials and Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday.

The parent of a boy living at the center said her 1-year-old son was living in unsanitary conditions for months, NJ.com reported.

The parent said in the report that the conditions are "very dirty" and that the rooms are "full of ants."

Murphy and officials addressed the viral outbreak and deaths of seven children who were infected at the facility in Haskell, Passaic County, a rehabilitation facility. (See related: Seven Children Now Dead In 'Severe' Virus Outbreak At NJ Facility)

All of those infected were located in the respiratory ward of the facility and are connected to ventilators to help them breathe. The seventh child died Monday night.

The majority of those infected are under 18. Many of them have lived at the facility "all or most of their lives" because of medical conditions the children have, said state Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal.

There is "no immediate threat to the public" regarding the virus spreading to the rest of the populace, the governor said.

The first case of the virus was discovered on Sept. 26. The Department of Health was notified of the virus on Oct. 9. The department needs four weeks without an additional case reported in order for the outbreak to be considered over. The state began monitoring the situation Oct. 10. State health officials conducted a surprise inspection at the facility last weekend. State personnel will remain at the facility until the outbreak is over.

"The strain of adenovirus seen in this outbreak is associated with communal living arrangements and known to cause severe illness," said Donna Leusner, a spokeswoman for the health department. "The department continues to work very closely with the facility to ensure that all infection control measures are being followed. An outbreak investigation, with assistance from the CDC, is ongoing." (See related: 10 Things About The Adenovirus Outbreak That's Killed 7 NJ Kids)

Murphy has said he was "heartbroken" by the news and that he's praying for the full recovery of the other children impacted. He said the Department of Health has recommended measures to enhance protections against the further spread of infection, and will continue its active on-site surveillance."I am confident that the steps being taken by state and local officials will minimize the impact to all those who remain at the facility, including patients and employees," he said.

The facility has been instructed not to admit any new patients until the outbreak ends and the Wanaque Center is in full compliance with medically appropriate standards, officials said.

The Wanaque Center is a professional nursing home, rehabilitation center and pediatrics center which offers short- and long-term care in a secure and caring environment, according to its website.

The Wanaque Center says it has a "highly skilled" team of experts who work with medically fragile children in its pediatrics center. "Our dedicated staff embraces children from newborn to 22 years of age and individualizes each child's program to maximize their capabilities," according to the site.

A health department team, meanwhile, was at the facility Tuesday and an inspection team was also there Sunday. The team on Sunday found minor hand washing deficiencies and the Health Department is continuing to work closely with the facility on infection control issues, officials said.

This is an ongoing outbreak investigation, health officials said.

Administrator Rowena Bautista issued a statement on Tuesday, acknowledging that the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation has recently experienced some cases of adenovirus in its respiratory unit.

"The facility promptly notified all appropriate government agencies when the virus was initially identified, including the New Jersey Department of Health, The Passaic County Department of Health, The Communicable Disease Service and the Centers for Disease Control. The Wanaque Center continues to fully cooperate with these agencies and has sought out their medical guidance with respect to the virus. As a result, facility staff have diligently implemented all available infection control and prevention measures in order to protect the health and safety of the Wanaque Center's residents."

Adenoviruses are typical a family of viruses that often cause mild illness, particularly in young children. But this particular strain of adenovirus (#7) is affecting medically fragile children with severely compromised immune systems, according to Leusner.

"The combination of a worse strain of adenovirus together with a fragile population has led to a more severe outbreak," she said.

Inspectors from the Department of Health were also at the facility on Monday. The department has been following the situation very closely and has been in close contact with clinical and administrative staff, providing guidance on infection control and cleaning procedures, Leusner said.

Adenoviruses can cause a wide range of illnesses such as:

• Common cold
• Sore throat
• Bronchitis (a condition that occurs when the airways in the lungs become filled with mucus and may spasm, which causes a person to cough and have shortness of breath)
• Pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
• Diarrhea
• Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
• Fever
• Bladder inflammation or infection
• Inflammation of stomach and intestines
• Neurologic disease (conditions that affect the brain and spinal cord)

Adenoviruses can cause mild to severe illness, though serious illness is less common. People with weakened immune systems, or existing respiratory or cardiac disease, are at higher risk of developing severe illness from an adenovirus infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

How the virus spread through the center is unknown.

At the center, New Jersey-certified teachers are hired to provide a classroom setting for children from preschool through high school. The school curriculum and classroom mirror that of a state-run public school but within the confines of the Wanaque Center.

The classrooms are handicapped accessible and set up for ventilator use. Each classroom offers highly individualized attention as each child progresses from preschool through elementary, middle and high school, according to the website.

With reporting by Tom Davis

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

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