Virus outbreak might include 3 kids from Snohomish County

Two children and an infant from Snohomish County, hospitalized at Seattle Children’s Hospital, are suspected of having a respiratory virus that has been rapidly spreading across the nation, sickening hundreds of children.

The three cases from Snohomish County are among at least 19 children from the Northwest, ages 6 months to 14 years, suspected of having a disease called enterovirus D68. Other suspected patients are from Grant and King counties, and Wenatchee and Yakima. One child at Children’s is from Montana, according to state Department of Health officials.

Eleven patients are currently hospitalized, said Alyse Bernal, a spokeswoman with Seattle Children’s Hospital. Five patients have required intensive care.

Five of the hospitalized children had asthma and others had other, pre-existing respiratory problems, said Marqise Allen, a state Department of Health spokesman.

Katie Curtis, a spokeswoman for the Snohomish Health District, said Thursday that tests have been sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta to confirm whether the children have the virus.

She would not specify the ages of the children from Snohomish County other than to say it was an infant and two children between the ages of 1 and 10.

There have been no cases of enterovirus 68 confirmed in Washington. Test results from the CDC are expected next week.

Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer for the Snohomish Health District, sent an alert to area doctors earlier this week, asking them to be on the lookout for cases of upper respiratory disease among children.

Symptoms include cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, cough and difficulty breathing. The virus might cause fever. Health officials say that the most serious infections occur in children who have asthma.

The virus is spread through coughs and sneezes or by touching surfaces that have been in contact with someone who is ill.

The virus was first identified in the 1960s in California, with cases occasionally reported since then, said Dr. Yuan-Po Tu, who monitors viral diseases at The Everett Clinic. That changed dramatically over the past few weeks, with increasing numbers of suspected cases being reported and some children hospitalized.

Since mid-August, 82 people in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky and Missouri have been confirmed to have the respiratory illness, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On Thursday, local and state health officials announced the first suspected cases in Washington state.

What makes enterovirus D68 different from the common cold is that children, especially those with asthma, can rapidly become ill enough that they have to be hospitalized, Tu said. There is no anti-viral medication available to treat the disease, he said.

Children who are hospitalized usually are able to leave hospital intensive care units in a few days, he said.

No one knows how long the virus might circulate, either locally or nationally. If it continues to sicken people during flu season, it could be difficult to diagnose which virus patients have, Tu said. “Clinically, they look exactly the same — a cough, runny nose and fevers.”

Simple steps can help slow the spread of enterovirus D68, as well as other viruses. They include frequent hand washing, covering coughs and avoiding touching eyes, the nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

The Associated Press contributed to this story. Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.

More about D68

Enterovirus D68 has symtoms common to other viruses, such as colds and the flu. It affects children more than adults. Parent should seek out medical treatment for their kids if, in addition to cold-like symptoms, children have difficulty breathing or finishing their sentences.

Symptoms include fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough, body and muscle aches. More severe symptoms include difficulty breathing and wheezing. People with asthma have a higher risk for the virus causing severe respiratory problems.