Reston Families: What to Know About Enterovirus D68

You may have seen reports in the media about clusters of a respiratory illness, Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), occurring in parts of the United States, including Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Health has received one report of a child developing acute neurological illness similar to the limb weakness reported in a cluster of nine Colorado children sickened by a severe respiratory illness, according to a report Thursday in The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The Virginia child is from the “northern health region,” Dr. Laurie Forlano, Virginia state epidemiologist, told the newspaper. “We’ve had one report of what seems like some compatible illness. That information has been passed on to the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

A 4-year old in New Jersey died from the virus last week, according to several media reports.

The Fairfax County Health Department has compiled information on prevention, symptoms, and treatment of the illness as well as a host of other background information on the viral illness. View the latest updates on EV-D68 from the CDC.

The Virginia Department of Health and the Fairfax County Health Department are continuing to work with hospitals and health care providers to monitor for severe respiratory illnesses, particularly in young children, that may be caused by EV-D68. The Health Department encourages parents, children and all members of our community to take the prevention steps listed below, which are the same steps that help prevent colds, the flu, and other common illnesses.

What Steps Can I Take to Avoid Becoming Sick?

• It is important to understand:
  • No vaccine to prevent EV-D68 is currently available.
  • Enteroviruses are spread person-to-person through close contact with an infected person, or by touching objects or surfaces that are contaminated with the virus and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes.
• To help protect yourself and others from EV-D68 infections:
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact (touching and shaking hands) with people who are sick.
  • Disinfect frequently-touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the upper sleeve of your shirt.
  • Stay home from school or work when sick. This is the season for respiratory illnesses and in general it is important to stay home when sick, particular if you or your child has a fever. (Fairfax County Public Schools policy states that students stay home until 24 hours after fever resolves.)
• In addition, the CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive an annual flu vaccine. The flu vaccine won’t prevent EV-D68, but it will protect you against influenza, another potentially severe respiratory illness.

Symptoms

• EV-D68 has been reported to cause mild to severe respiratory illness, such as low-grade fever, cough, runny nose, sneezing and body/muscle aches. Some people also may have a rash.
  Infants, children, and teenagers are most likely to get infected with enteroviruses and become sick.
• Some people, especially those with weakened immune systems or underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, may have severe complications and need to be hospitalized.

Infected individuals generally recover on their own without incident by treating symptoms.

Go to this Fairfax County page set up for more information about the virus.

PHOTO: File photo from FCCPS/Fairfax County