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Rare Strain of the "Common Cold"

Here at home in the U.S. many are fighting a rare strain of a common virus that has spread across a dozen states in the Midwest and Southeast. It's called enterovirus or EV D68 and it's affecting mostly children at a rapid rate. Doctors say the enterovirus shows up every year and it's often called a "summer cold." This year, however, it's more serious. The symptoms start out like a cold, but then gets much worse. It causes respiratory illnesses and in more intense cases requires hospitalization - particularly if a serious asthma attack is triggered. The good news is the virus is not fatal, and patients usually recover with limited treatment.

What you can do to avoid it? Wash your hands and keep all areas sanitized.

stephanie.jarvis@ideastream.org | 216-916-6340