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JAMESTOWN, N.D. (AP) — Health officials are reporting the first confirmed case in North Dakota of a rare virus believed to be the cause of a severe respiratory illness that affects children.
Officials say the case of enterovirus 68 has been identified in a girl from Stutsman County. The germ is an uncommon strain of a common family of viruses that typically hit from summertime through autumn.
Jill Baber is a state epidemiologist. She says the girl is no longer hospitalized and recovered at home.
The virus can cause mild cold-like symptoms including runny noses, coughing and wheezing. Health officials say this strain is particularly harsh and children with asthma and other health problems are particularly at risk.
There's no vaccine for the virus. Most children recover within a week with no lasting problems.
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