11th child dies in viral outbreak at New Jersey rehab center
WANAQUE, New Jersey (WABC) -- An eleventh child has died after a deadly outbreak of adenovirus at a pediatric rehabilitation center in New Jersey, health officials said.
The state health department was first notified of the viral outbreak at Waneque Rehab Center last month, which has since infected a total of 34 children at the facility.
Earlier this month, state officials said an outbreak would not formally be declared until the facility can go four weeks without a new case of someone being infected. The most recent virus case was confirmed Friday.
"This is an extremely severe strain of adenovirus that couldn't have occurred in a worse place given the medically fragile patients that live at the Wanaque facility," said Dr. Shereef Elnahal, commissioner of the NJ Department of Health.
Symptoms of adenovirus usually include sore throats, pneumonia, diarrhea and pink eye.
In the wake of the outbreak, health officials have halted new admissions to the facility until further notice.
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