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Respiratory Virus Hits Riverside USD 114 Student

By Greg Bebermeyer

09/19/2014

(KNZA)--A case of an uncommon respiratory virus that has affected hundreds of children in the Midwest has been confirmed in a Doniphan County school.

Riverside USD 114 Superintendent Mike Newman said the case of enterovirus 68 was confirmed Tuesday at the district’ primary school.

Newman told the St. Joseph News Press the student is currently absent from school, and the district will be taking extra cleaning precautions to help prevent any further spread of the virus.

Health officials say 12 states—including Kansas and Missouri—now have respiratory illnesses caused by the virus.

The virus can cause mild to severe illness, with the worst cases needing life support for breathing difficulties. Kids with asthma have been especially vulnerable. No deaths have been reported.

The strain is not new, but only a small number of labs can test for it. Since mid-August, there’s been an unusual spike in identified cases. The CDC has tested more than 200 specimens from more than 30 states.

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