The number of adenovirus cases in pediatric facilities is increasing due to the multiplicity of medical centers in New Jersey battle epidemics

Recent tests have confirmed another case of adenovirus in a patient at Voorhees Pediatric Center in New Jersey, bringing to five the total number of pediatric cases confirmed on-site, health officials said Monday. Another confirmed case has also been reported at another pediatric medical center that has seen more than two dozen people infected.

This latest development comes at a time when a number of pediatric institutions in the state are struggling with adenovirus outbreaks.

While the exact strain of adenovirus associated with the last case at Voorhees will not be known for several days, tests from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have identified the strain in the first four cases of the installation of Voorhees as type 3 – a strain different from the previous one. one that caused the serious outbreak of the Wanaque Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Passaic County, which has already claimed the lives of 10 pediatric patients.

"The Department and local health partners are working with the facility to develop infection control recommendations and identify other possible diseases since the facility informed the Department of Health. a case of adenovirus in a resident on October 26, "said Dr. Shereef, New Jersey Health Commissioner. Elnahal.

According to health officials, the dates of the onset of the disease are between 20 and 29 October.

In addition, since the outbreak investigation is ongoing, laboratory tests could confirm more cases in the pediatric Voorhees facility.

Health officials said the facility has the ability to safely and quickly separate sick, exposed and well-exposed individuals in different areas and has implemented infection control measures such as cleaning and maintenance. disinfection of environmental surfaces and reinforcement of hand washing techniques.

Two inspectors from the Health Facilities Investigation Division and the Department's field operations were at the facility on October 30th. Preliminary findings revealed no infection control issues and no citation was issued.

The latest updated number of confirmed cases in Voorhees comes just after the New Jersey Department of Health deploys a team of infection control experts and epidemiologists to five pediatric facilities, including the Pediatric Center. from Voorhees and Wanaque center.

Last week, a tenth child died at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Passaic County, the epicenter of an outbreak of adenovirus that killed and sickened dozens of children. Children in recent weeks.

To date, the Wanaque Center has 30 people, mostly children, with the exception of one worker, who has been infected with the virus – a virus that health authorities have been monitoring since the epidemic.

The last confirmed case at the Wanaque Center, bringing to 30 the number of people infected locally, was announced Monday.

The adenovirus is a family of viruses that may otherwise cause mild illness, but this outbreak has been described as "severe".

The state health ministry said it was informed of the 9 October outbreak. State health officials later discovered abnormalities in hand washing. Wanaque Center was told not to admit new patients until the end of the epidemic and that they were in full compliance. He also set up a 24/7 helpline for families affected by what the public health official described as a "tragic" epidemic.

The team will also visit another facility, the University Hospital, where a possible bacterial infection in the neonatal intensive care unit may have contributed to the death of an infant. Health officials said Thursday that the child involved in the case died on October 1 in the Newark office. This baby had aggravating medical problems. A cause of death remains under investigation.

The other two facilities include specialized children's hospitals in Toms River and Mountainside. The health department contacted all five last week to schedule visits for November, officials said.

The specialized multidisciplinary team conducts voluntary and non-regulatory assessments of infection prevention practices and takes a collaborative approach to highlight and share facilities that work well and identify opportunities for improvement, according to a press release. Evaluations focus on the prevention of health facility infections and infection control violations in accordance with best practices and national and federal requirements.