New Jersey Preschooler Who Died Had Virus

A 4-year-old who died in New Jersey had the virus that is making hundreds of kids sick around the country, reports NBC Philadelphia. Health authorities say the preschooler in Hamilton Township tested positive for enterovirus-D68. But as is the case with a child in Rhode Island who also died, health officials can't say for sure that EV-D68 caused the death, only that it was present in the child's body, reports the Star-Ledger. While this particular enterovirus has been around for a while, it is causing an unusually high number of respiratory ailments among kids this year. The CDC is also trying to determine whether it is responsible for poliolike symptoms of paralysis in about 20 cases, mostly in Colorado.

"Parents and caregivers should be aware that children with weakened immune systems or underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, may experience severe complications and require hospitalization with supportive therapy," says New Jersey's health commissioner. (More enterovirus 68 stories.)