The 9th child dies of a viral epidemic at the New Jersey Rehabilitation Center

HASKELL, New Jersey (WABC) –

Health officials in New Jersey say that a ninth child has died of a viral outbreak in a pediatric rehabilitation center.

The state health ministry confirmed Sunday the latest death at the Wanaque Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Haskell County, Passaic County, bringing the total number of cases to 25.

The authorities claim that the last death is a confirmed case of adenovirus and that the child died in a hospital late Saturday night.

A spokesman for the health department said all these people were already sick, so diagnoses do not necessarily mean that the virus is still spreading. But state officials said the outbreak would not be declared over as long as the center could not do without four weeks without any new cases of infection.

"The adenovirus strain observed during this outbreak is associated with living conditions in the community and is known to cause serious illness," the statement said. "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. "

The state was informed of the outbreak on Oct. 9 and is working with the CDC, but parents of patients have contacted Eyewitness News to complain about a lack of transparency. One of the parents of a sick child said he had heard of the epidemic while looking at the information and that it had never been before. informed of the seriousness of the situation. According to her, a nurse downplayed the situation, claiming that her daughter had a fever and was receiving medication because of "the presence of a small virus" similar to the common cold.

Meanwhile, the parents of a 16-year-old deceased daughter are trying to deal with their loss. Kristine Poulos said that the girl had been diagnosed with adenovirus on October 5 after she was transferred to St. Joseph's Hospital for treatment.

"I'm angry," said Poulos. "I think what it is, I need to know more information. I like the facts."

After critical care in St Joseph, the girl was transferred to Wanaque, where she died on Tuesday morning.

"I just want to know what happened," Poulos said. "She will not come back."

The Wanaque Center also offers professional bereavement counseling to all those affected.

Adenoviruses usually cause mild illness, but the Ministry of Health reports that this outbreak is particularly serious because it affects children with compromised immune systems.

"This strain is particularly associated with diseases in collective living areas," the department said in a statement. "The combination of a worse strain of adenovirus and a fragile population has led to a more serious epidemic."

The conditions of the other victims are unknown. The facility was instructed to no longer admit new patients until the end of the outbreak.

"The adenovirus is a highly contagious virus," said Dr. Sejal Bhavsar, of the Hackensack University Medical Center. "However, in such situations, they are highly contagious in long-term facilities because they are often carried by sneezing and coughing, but also by particles transmitted by the sneezing lands and coughing on. other things, then touch your mouth without washing your hands, so that they can contract the virus. "

A team from the health department remains in the establishment and an inspection team was initially on Sunday. The team found Sunday minor handwashing issues and the service continues to work closely with the facility on infection control issues.

"I am sorry to hear that many children have lost their lives during an epidemic of adenovirus at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, and I pray for the full recovery of the other affected children. "said Governor Phil Murphy in a statement. "Dr (Shereef) Elnahal (Health Commissioner) has informed me that the Ministry of Health has recommended vital measures to strengthen protection against the spread of infection and will continue its active on-site surveillance I am confident that the measures taken by local and state authorities will reduce the impact on all those staying in the facility, including patients and employees. "

Rowena Bautista, Wanaque Center Administrator, issued the following statement:

"The Wanaque Nursing and Rehabilitation Center recently experienced adenovirus cases in its pediatric unit.The center immediately informed all appropriate government agencies when the virus had been identified, including the Ministry of Health. of New Jersey and the Department of Health of Passaic County, The Communicable Disease Service and the Centers for Disease Control.The Wanaque Center continues to cooperate fully with these agencies and has sought advice from their physicians regarding the virus. protect the health and safety of Wanaque Center residents. "

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated in an e-mail that they were providing technical assistance to the state.

In the past 10 years, there have been reports of serious illness and death due to the type of infection in this facility in the United States, said CDC spokeswoman Kate Fowlie in an email. without specifying the number of deaths.

A scientific document cited by the CDC reported that a 1998 type 7 adenovirus outbreak in a long-term care facility for children in Chicago had claimed the lives of eight patients. The 2001 document indicated that civilian epidemics of type 7 infection were not reported frequently due to lack of laboratory facilities and that the total impact on hospitals and long-term care facilities was likely underestimated.

CLICK HERE for more information on adenoviruses

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