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First Confirmed Case of Enterovirus D68 Turns up in Maine

AUGUSTA, Maine  - Maine has its first confirmed case of so-called enterovirus D68, the illness that's been sweeping the country.

State health officials with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention say they were notified by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that a York County child tested positive for the disease. The child was initially hospitalized and is now recuperating at home, state officials say.

Enterovirus D68 - or EV-D68 - often appears to be the common cold, and can cause a fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough and muscle aches. But in some cases, particularly in children with a history of respiratory problems, the disease can cause difficulty breathing and/or wheezing.

There is no vaccine for the illness, and children with asthma appear to be at higher risk, state officials say.

"If a child experiences a significant change in his or her  health that features some of these known symptoms, he or she should be taken to the hospital right away, as this could represent EV-D68,'' says Maine CDC Director Dr. Pinette, in a statement.

Pinette is advising people to wash their hands frequently, and to cough or sneeze into the elbow area to prevent the spread of the disease.  Kissing should be avoided, and common areas such as tables, counters and doorknobs should be disinfected. Pinette says anyone with cold-like symptoms should stay home.

Barbara grew up in Biddeford, Maine. She earned a master’s in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s in English from the University of Southern Maine.