Enterovirus A Concern For Public Health Officials

The Iowa Department of Public Health and Mills County Public Health Office both issued warnings Monday about an outbreak of an enterovirus in Ohio, Illinois and Kansas that’s also causing illness in Iowa.

EV-D68, like other enteroviruses, is spread through close contact with infected people. MCPH Administrator Sheri Bowen said infants, children  and teens with asthma or previous respiratory problems are at the greatest risk to becoming extremely ill if infected with the virus. The virus begins like a cold and symptoms include coughing and wheezing. Parents of children with cold-like symptoms that experience difficulty breathing are advised to contact their health care provider.

There are no medications or vaccines available to treat EV-D68. Those becoming ill from EV-D68 are urged to rest, drink plenty of fluids and stay away from public places to avoid spreading the virus to others.

Bowen said EV-D68 isn’t a reportable disease and it’s unknown if any Mills County residents have been infected by the virus. She noted the influenza season is approaching and flu vaccine is starting to become available to local physicians and pharmacies. MCPH will begin having flu vaccination clinics in October, Bowen said.

The state health department says there are more than 100 known enteroviruses and estimates that 10-15 million enterovirus infections occur in the U.S. every year, often in the summer and fall.