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Passaic County, NJ – Four children diagnosed with adenovirus at a Wanaque Rehabilitation Center have been transferred to a hospital to ensure they receive medical care Wednesday, public health officials and Governor Phil Murphy announced.
Murphy and officials discussed the virus outbreak and the deaths of seven infected children at the Wanaque Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Haskell, Passaic County, in a rehabilitation facility. (See also: Seven children are now dead in a "serious" virus outbreak at the NJ facility)
All infected persons were located in the facility's respiratory department and are connected to ventilators to help them breathe. The seventh child died Monday night.
Most infected people are under 18 years old. Many of them have lived in the institution "all or almost all of their lives" because of the health problems of their children, said Dr. Shereef Elnahal, Commissioner of the Department of Health of the United States. 39; State.
There is "no immediate threat to the public" regarding the spread of the virus in the rest of the population, said the governor.
The first case of the virus was discovered on September 26th. The Ministry of Health was informed of the virus on 9 October. The department needs four weeks without a new case being reported for the outbreak to be over. The state began monitoring the situation on October 10. State health officials conducted a surprise inspection at the facility last weekend. State personnel will remain in the facility until the end of the epidemic.
"The adenovirus strain observed during this outbreak is associated with living conditions in the community and is known to cause serious illness," said Donna Leusner, spokesperson for the Department of Health. "The department continues to work closely with the facility to ensure that all infection control measures are followed." An outbreak investigation, with the help of the CDC, is under way. course. " (View topic: 10 things about the outbreak of adenovirus killed 7 New Jersey children)
Murphy stated that he was "heartbroken" by the news and that he was praying for the complete recovery of the other affected children. He added that the Ministry of Health had recommended measures to strengthen protection against the spread of infection and that he would continue his active surveillance on the spot. "I am convinced that the measures taken by national and local authorities will minimize the impact on all who remain in the institution, including patients and employees," he said.
The facility has been instructed to no longer admit new patients until the end of the epidemic and that the Wanaque Center fully complies with current medical standards, officials said.
The Wanaque Center is a professional retirement home, rehabilitation center and pediatric center offering short and long-term care in a safe and caring environment, according to its website.
The Wanaque Center claims to have a "highly qualified" team of experts working with medically fragile children in its pediatric center. "Our dedicated staff welcomes newborn children at the age of 22 and personalizes each child's program to maximize its capabilities," according to the website.
A team from the health department, meanwhile, was on site Tuesday and an inspection team was also there on Sunday. The team found minor hand-washing issues on Sunday and the health department continues to work closely with the center on infection control issues, officials said.
This is an ongoing investigation into an outbreak, health officials said.
Administrator Rowena Bautista issued a statement Tuesday acknowledging that the Wanaque Nursing and Rehabilitation Center had recently seen adenovirus cases in her respiratory unit.
The facility immediately informed the relevant government agencies of the discovery of the virus, including the New Jersey Department of Health, the County of Passaic Health Department, the Communicable Disease Service, and the Centers for Disease Control. The Wanaque Center continues to cooperate fully with As a result, staff at the institution diligently implemented all available infection prevention and control measures to protect the health and safety of Wanaque Center residents. "
Adenoviruses are typical of a family of viruses that often cause mild illness, especially in young children. But this particular strain of adenovirus (# 7) affects medically fragile children whose immune system is severely compromised, according to Leusner.
"The combination of a worse strain of adenovirus and a fragile population has led to a more serious epidemic," she said.
Inspectors from the Ministry of Health also visited the facility on Monday. The department is monitoring the situation very closely and maintaining close relationships with clinical and administrative staff, providing advice on infection control and cleaning procedures, Leusner said.
Adenoviruses can cause a wide range of diseases such as:
- Cold
- Irritated throat
- Bronchitis (a condition that occurs when the airways of the lungs become filled with mucus and can cause spasm, causing coughing and shortness of breath)
- Pneumonia (lung infection)
- Diarrhea
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
- Fever
- Inflammation or bladder infection
- Inflammation of the stomach and intestines
- Neurological disease (diseases of the brain and spinal cord)
Adenoviruses can cause mild to severe diseases, although serious diseases are less common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with a weakened immune system or existing respiratory or cardiac disease are at greater risk of contracting a serious illness resulting from an adenovirus infection.
It is not known how the virus spread in the center.
In the center, certified teachers from New Jersey are hired to provide a classroom for children from kindergarten to high school. The school curriculum and classroom are similar to those of a public school but located within the boundaries of Wanaque center.
Classrooms are accessible to people with disabilities and equipped for the use of fans. According to the website, each class provides highly individualized attention as each child progresses from preschool to elementary, high school and high school.
With report from Tom Davis
Email: [email protected]
Image via Shutterstock
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