EV-D68 Cases Confirmed by CDC
On September 17, the CDC confirmed New Jersey’s first case of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) and other cases have since been confirmed. Read the DOH FAQ below on confirming cases of EV-D68:
Can individual doctors and hospitals confirm cases of EV-D68?
EV-D68 can only be diagnosed by doing specific lab tests on specimens (samples) and that few laboratories are able to perform. While many hospitals and some doctor’s offices can test ill patients to see if they have an EV infection, very few can do specific testing to determine the type of EV, like EV-D68. There are over 100 EV infections and specific typing of specimens is needed to confirm whether the virus is D68. In order to make the final diagnosis of EV-D68, the CDC in Atlanta would have to confirm the test on the sample. Read more FAQ’s.
For additional information, visit the NJ Department of Health’s website and their recent press release.