As of Oct. 9, Alameda County has diagnosed five cases of Enterovirus D-68, a virus which can lead to severe respiratory issues, particularly in children who have asthma. Although the virus can only be detected through very specific tests, its symptoms are similar to those of a standard cold or flu.
The virus is no more contagious than a normal cold, and testing is unnecessary unless the patient has been hospitalized.
There have not been any cases in Piedmont, but the Alameda Public Health Department expects the virus to spread. Nationally, approximately 678 cases have been reported, according to the Alameda County Public Health Department, with more expected to emerge in the coming weeks.
“It’s just been nasty,” District Nurse Joan Edelstein said in regards to the virus.
It is rare for patients to be hospitalized for colds, and although Enterovirus is neither new nor unusual, its impacts have been severe. There have been five patients hospitalized within Alameda County and 32 in California.
The school district emailed all Piedmont parents on Oct. 3, “to give our parent community some background and information,” according to Assistant Superintendent Randall Booker. So far no parents have contacted Booker about the virus.
Despite the hype in local and national news, Enterovirus D-68 is not very different from a normal cold, Edelstein said. Children with asthma are generally far more likely to be hospitalized for colds, while adults are often able to fight off the virus entirely because of prior immunity.
The main anomaly with Enterovirus is the number of hospitalizations, since it is rare for children to be hospitalized for a cold. Yet only in the most severe cases is hospitalization necessary.
Edelstein and fellow District Nurse Diana Nachajski plan to visit all of the elementary school classrooms to teach proper hand washing techniques.
“Frequent and thorough handwashing is the best way to avoid the virus,” Edelstein said. “Using a paper towel to turn off sinks and open bathroom doors is also an effective prevention method.” Edelstein recommends that students who are sick stay home to protect others.
