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CDC: Confirmed Case Of Enterovirus D68 In Pennsylvania

PENNSYLVANIA (CBS) -- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least one case of the Enterovirus D68, or EV-D68, has been confirmed in Pennsylvania.

The CDC's website says there is at least one confirmed case in Pennsylvania, but it wouldn't say how many or where they were located.

According to the CDC, the 12 states to have confirmed cases are Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. A total of 130 people from those 12 states have been confirmed to have EV-D68 since mid-August.

In Montgomery County, the Health Department has reached out to schools to be on the lookout for any potential emergences of EV-D68 activity.

Symptoms of Enterovirus D68 may include fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough and body aches; much like a common cold or flu. It is these symptoms that make initial identification of the virus difficult for parents. Wheezing seems to be the biggest symptom documented so far.

According to WebMD, a majority of the children in this recent outbreak do not have a fever but instead are having difficulty breathing and moving air, with symptoms matching those of asthma; even in children that do not have a history of asthma.

At the moment, there is no specific treatment or cure for the illness, however over-the-counter medications may be helpful. Should a child be suffering from severe symptoms, hospitalization may be needed.

The most obvious means of prevention is washing of hands, but it is advised that children avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth, and avoid kissing, hugging, and sharing with people who are infected.

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