In the US, six children in a clinic have died of adenovirus infection. Twelve others are ill. This was reported by the Department of Health of the State of New Jersey. The affected hospital, the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, should not accept new patients unless the outbreak is over.
Adenoviruses in most cases lead to respiratory diseases such as colds, bronchitis or pneumonia, which usually heal in people with a healthy immune system. Also, conjunctivitis or diarrheal diseases may be a result of infection, the pathogens are usually spread through the hands.
A delegation of the Ministry of Health has already inspected the clinic and has encountered "slight deficits in hand cleaning" of the staff. The team now wants to work closely with the hospital for infection control, according to a statement.
"In this case, we are dealing with a nasty combination of very sick children and an aggressive virus," said William Schaffner, infectologist from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville.
The six deaths all occurred in October. The Adenovirenstamm apparently caused the outbreak. According to the Ministry of Health, an infection with this strain can sometimes be difficult.