There have been three confirmed cases of Enterovirus-D68 at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and seven confirmed cases at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Connecticut Children's Medical Center released a statement saying they sent six samples to the CDC and three of them were positive for the virus.
Officials at Yale-New Haven Hospital said they have had seven confirmed cases.
There have been 277 confirmed cases in 40 states and the District of Columbia since mid-August.
“We already knew there was a strong possibility it was here,” Dr. Nicholas Bennett, medical director of infectious diseases and immunology at Connecticut Children’s said in a statement. “We sent in samples to help the CDC track the virus and its spread across the nation.”
Officials from Connecticut Children's Medical Center said the confirmation of the virus does not change the way they are treating patients.
“Because Enterovirus is a virus there is no treatment, except for treatments for the wheezing, the same as you would for any other asthma attack,” Dr. Bennett said. “It seems to be easily treated and kids are generally getting better quickly, in a few days.”
The CDC is investigating links between Enterovirus D-68 and paralysis, but Dr. Bennett said there have been no cases of paralysis at Connecticut Children’s.
Parents concerned about the virus can monitor their children for the following symptoms:
- Runny nose, sneezing, coughing
- Skin rash
- Mouth blisters
- Body and muscle aches
- Fever
Earlier this month, a 6-year-old girl, was treated at Yale-New Haven Hospital for the virus, according to a hospital spokesperson. The CDC confirmed that the child had the non-polio enterovirus.
