First Enterovirus D68 Case Confirmed In Massachusetts
BOSTON (CBS/AP) - The Department of Public Health has confirmed its first case of Enterovirus D68 in Massachusetts.
Commissioner Cheryl Bartlett said Tuesday the patient was an eight-year-old girl in elementary school with a history of asthma.
Boston Children's Hospital later confirmed the girl was treated there and released, according to Dr. Michael Agus.
"We treated her in our unit as she was relatively ill at the time, but has done terrifically well and is home," said Agus. "I just spoke with her mother and she's doing terrifically well at home."
Read: What to Know About Enterovirus
State Epidemiologist Dr. Al DeMaria told reporters at a news conference the girl is from the southeastern part of the state, but he would not reveal the town.
He added that testing samples were collected from the girl two weeks ago, so there may be more cases to come after more tests on more children are processed.
"Not everything we're seeing is due to one virus," DeMaria cautioned, saying some patients have already been ruled out as having contracted D68.
Read: DPH Advisory on Enterovirus (.pdf)
In a statement Tuesday, Children's Hospital said it sent 14 samples to DPH in the last 11 days for testing and 11 results have come back.
Of those 11, one was negative and ten were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for further testing.
Of those ten sent to Atlanta, one returned positive for Enterovirus D68.
Children's said they are "waiting to hear back on the remaining 9 samples from the CDC."
Agus said the hospital has seen over 100 children believed to be suffering Enterovirus. However, he added that only 14 samples were sent for testing because they were the sickest of those cases.
Enterovirus D68 is a more virulent strain of the virus that causes the common cold.
Read: CDC Information on Enterovirus D68
According to Agus, Enterovirus is not different from other sicknesses the hospital sees in any given year.
Watch: Update From Dr. Agus
"This is just a regular virus that has a name," said Agus, who encouraged all people to get their flu shot.
"What's unique about it is that it's hitting an enormous number of children at one time."
It has shown up in 27 other states since mid-August. The virus can cause mild to severe illness, with the worst cases needing life support for breathing difficulties. Children with asthma are more vulnerable. No deaths have been reported.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says infants, children and teenagers are more likely to become infected because they do not have immunity to the virus.
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