Unidentified Lung Virus Spreads To Hundreds Of Kids In 10 States

Unidentified Lung Virus Spreads To Hundreds Of Kids In 10 States

The start of school often brings newly shared germs among kids, but some are calling the spread of an unidentified lung virus in as many as 1,000 children across 10 states "unprecedented."

Over the past three weeks, hundreds of children have come down with what the CDC believes is human enterovirus 68, ABC News reports. The virus causes symptoms like coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing, according to the CDC.

CNN reports that ten states have been in touch with the CDC regarding the virus: Colorado, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky.

To help stop the spread of the virus, some hospitals have banned children from visiting, according to the New York Daily News.

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for enterovirus 68 infections, according to a Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services advisory. "Many infections will be mild and self-limited, requiring only symptomatic treatment," according to the bulletin. "Some people with severe respiratory illness caused by EV-D68 may need to be hospitalized and receive intensive supportive therapy."

Kids -- and adults -- can best protect themselves with frequent handwashing.

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