The Douglas County Health Department has reported the first confirmed case of enterovirus D68 in a Douglas County resident. The patient was a child less than a year old who was hospitalized with coughing and difficulty breathing and later released.Symptoms typically include cough, sneezing, a low-grade fever, runny nose and possible body ache. EV-D68 appears to more seriously affect children with asthma or pre-existing respiratory conditions. According to the CDC, most infected people have mild or no symptoms.
Douglas County Health Director, Dr. Adi Pour, says there is no need to see a physician unless children begin having difficulty breathing. Signs that could prompt a quick response include wheezing, difficulty speaking or eating, the child’s belly pulling in with breaths, and blueness around the lips.
Dr. Pour says to avoid becoming infected, you should wash your hands frequently with soap and water, cover your cough using your sleeve or a tissue, and stay home if you are sick to avoid spreading this or any other illness.
