21-month Old Madeline Reid was rushed to the Children's Hospital of Michigan last September 21 for additional care. The toddler who has been on life-support since mid-September has died yesterday.
Madeline suffered severe respiratory symptoms which had been confirmed by her attending physicians to be caused by Enterovirus D68.
The virus has been wrecking havoc since the beginning of this year's early fall. It has been reported to be prevalent in 45 states all over America and several cases have been confirmed.
Contracting the virus is especially dangerous to little children during this cold season. Fall is always a bad time to catch viruses since the cold environs somehow tones down the immunity of humans. Children, whose immune system are still "under construction", then are even more susceptible and at risk to developing worse cases of the disease once in contact with the virus.
A few days ago in New Jersey, a 4-year old little boy has also succumbed to the virus. As of the present, health officials and the CDC has reported that there are 691 confirmed cases of D68 in 46 states. There has been 5 deaths associated with the virus. According to health officials, however, it is yet to be confirmed if these deaths are a direct result of getting in contact with the disease or if the deaths are brought on by something else.
As of the moment, doctors and researchers at the University of Michigan are working together in order to put the spread of the virus under control. This is especially that most of the cases concerning the virus involves children.
Since Enterovirus D68 spreads by merely getting in contact with contaminated surfaces so av and shares symptoms common to flu and other common respiratory illnesses getting checked and examined as soon as the symptoms surface is a must.