10TH PATIENT DIES AT CARE CENTRE IN VIRAL OUTBREAK

A 10th person died amid a viral outbreak at a pediatric care centre while a different strain of the virus was found at another facility in the state, New Jersey health officials said Thursday.

The “medically fragile child” at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation had the adenovirus infection, the state Health Department said.

There have been 28 cases associated with the respiratory virus at the centre, where the affected children had severely compromised immune systems. One death was a young adult.

The state also said there are four confirmed adenovirus cases among pediatric patients at Voorhees Pediatric Facility, near Philadelphia, but preliminary tests have ruled out it’s the same strain affecting Wanaque.

Adenovirus usually poses little risk for healthy people. It can cause mild cold or flu symptoms, and some strains also cause diarrhea and pinkeye.

The strain found in the Wanaque centre outbreak is called type 7 and is among the more potent types. It sometimes causes more serious respiratory illness, especially among those with weak immune systems.