LI has first confirmed case of enterovirus, health officials say

A school-aged child on Long Island has a confirmed case of enterovirus D68, a diagnosis that comes within days of the first New York cases that affected about a dozen upstate children, health officials said Wednesday.

Enterovirus D68, or EV-D68, is considered rare, but it has made a sudden resurgence nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest tally estimates about 140 cases in 16 states have been confirmed since last month.

The local infection involves a North Hempstead child who became ill earlier this month, was hospitalized and now is recovering at home, Nassau County health officials said Wednesday.

In Suffolk, health officials say they are awaiting test results from the state laboratory on seven possible cases. Information about them is expected by week's end, a county spokeswoman said.

"I encourage parents to remind their children of ways to avoid catching colds, including washing hands frequently and avoiding touching their face," Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein, Nassau's commissioner of health, said in a statement Wednesday.

"I also ask parents to avoid sending sick children to school and other public places. Parents with children who have asthma should observe closely if their child catches a cold, and parents should not hesitate to consult with their pediatrician if they have any concerns," Eisenstein said.

EV-D68, which first emerged in California in 1962, causes wheezing, coughing and mild to severe respiratory distress. Some children have been so adversely affected they have required mechanical ventilation, doctors say.

While there have been no fatalities anywhere in the country, there is no vaccine or antiviral medication to treat it.

The first cases in New York were reported Friday in the central and capitol regions. Since then there have been reports of the infection in New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut.With Ellen Yan