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12 Kids Hospitalized With Respiratory Virus In Del.

By Jan Carabeo

WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS) - Twelve children in Delaware are in the hospital with respiratory illness and it is unknown at this time if this is connected to the outbreak that sickened children nationwide.

Delaware officials have taken samples and sent them to the CDC for testing. Those results aren't expected back for about a week, but it's all being done to see if this is indeed Enterovirus 68 -- the virus now spreading across the country.

It is a rare respiratory virus, that's already sickened more than a thousand children nationwide -- kids much like Will Cornejo.

"A couple of days ago, I couldn't breathe at all," he said.

Oxygen is helping the 13-year-old now, as he likely battles Enterovirus 68, or D68, but he almost didn't make it.

"White as a ghost, blue lips...he just passed out, had his eyes rolled back in his head, and I had to call 9-1-1," his mother, Jennifer Cornejo, says.

"D68 causes respiratory illnesses, and among them, illnesses that are more serious, that require hospitalization, particularly, if they trigger serious asthma attacks," infectious disease specialist Dr. William Schaffner explains.

Now, local health officials are working to determine if the virus caused the hospitalization of a dozen children in Delaware.

"Because it is rare, we just don't actually have a lot of information about this virus, so, there is still a lot of things we don't know about it in terms of how it travels, when, and why," Dr. Jen Caudle says.

Earlier this week, Dr. Caudle stopped by "Eyewitness News" This Morning to talk about the virus.

"It causes respiratory issues, sometimes wheezing, sometimes trouble breathing," she says.

Symptoms mimic the common cold, but the onset is rapid -- usually within hours. The virus can become life threatening. Doctors say it is most dangerous for those with asthma and under five years old.

So far, cases have been detected in about a dozen mostly mid western states. The best treatment is actually prevention by washing hands often and cleaning frequently touched surfaces. Also, avoid sharing and close contact with people who are sick. These are the best preventive measures as it is spread through coughing, sneezing and touching.

As for treatment, since this is a virus, antibiotics don't work. Doctors can only treat the symptoms hereby providing extra oxygen and also some medication to help keep the lungs working properly.

The good news is that there are no reported deaths.

 

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