4 SoCal kids infected with enterovirus D68

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The severe respiratory illness known as "enterovirus D68" has infected and hospitalized four Southern California children.

Three cases were in San Diego County, and one in Ventura County. State health officials are testing specimens from potential victims across the state and say they're expecting more cases.

All four of the Southern California children who were infected with enterovirus D68 were hospitalized and all four were in the pediatric intensive care unit. The deputy director for the California Department of Health (CDPH) says there is one common theme that has connected the majority of cases.

Dr. Gil Chavez said, "One thing that is notable is that three of the four children had asthma as a pre-existing condition; this is true for other parts of the country where this virus particularly seems to be quite severe in children with asthma."

What's scary for all parents is that enterovirus D68 starts out as a common cold -- runny nose, sneezing, coughing and body aches. Doctor Marty Martin of Peachwood Pediatrics says like many other illnesses that means you can't tell if you've got it. He said, "One thing that's interesting is most of the children with this have not had a fever, and parents always look at fever as a sign of severe illness, and so you really have to look at the respiratory breathing difficulties more than the fever."

Peachwood Pediatrics treats thousands of Valley children and Doctor Martin expected to see this strain of the enterovirus. He said, "It's not surprising that it comes here. I mean if measles can get imported from Switzerland which it has in kids that aren't immunized, Kansas City and Chicago, it's going to hit here as well."

Which is why the state has every county health department on alert watching for the more severe cases. Doctor Chavez says this virus has been around since the 1960s but this strain is after children with chronic conditions. To prevent it, doctors urge hand washing above all else, and keeping away from people who are sick.

The Fresno County Department of Public Health says there was a suspected case here at a local hospital, but the patient tested negative for the enterovirus. The state tells Action News that those four infected Southern California children are doing just fine.