Mystery lung hospitalises hundreds of children
Hospitals in the US Midwest are being flooded with hundreds of children suffering a mystery lung virus, with some admitted to intensive care.
When the illness strikes, it appears to be a common cold, but soon turns into severe respiratory distress.
Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City has treated about 450 children and the hospital's Infectious Diseases director Dr Mary Anne Jackson said the problem was "unprecedented".
"I've practiced for 30 years in pediatrics, and I've never seen anything quite like this," she told CNN.
"We've had to mobilise other providers, doctors, nurses. It's big. I would call it unprecedented. It's worse in terms of scope of critically ill children who require intensive care."
According to Dr Jackson, the outbreak started when US schools went back on August 17 and peaked between later that month from August 21 to 30.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said some Kansas City cases tested positive for Enterovirus D68 or EV-D68, D68 or EV-D68, which normally causes mild asthma-like symptoms but can be more severe, reported Daily Mail.
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While almost always associated with respiratory disease, there is no specific treatment for an EV-D68 infection or vaccine, with ventilation proving the most effective away to assist patients suffering with the infection.
There is no data for deaths related to an EV-D68 infection, in the US presently.
Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, rashes, fever, body and muscles aches.
Dr Jackson said "meticulous hand-washing" was needed to try and combat the problem.
Will Cornejo, 13, was recently admitted to intensive care after coming down with a cold and his mother, Jennifer Corneyjo, said he struggled to breath.
"It was like nothing we've ever seen," she told KUSA. "He was unresponsive. He couldn't speak to me. He was turning white and his lips turned blue.
Morning news break – September 8
