DHAKA: Hundreds of children across the US have been treated for a rare respiratory virus and more cases are expected in the next few weeks, doctors have said.

The enterovirus, EV-D68, is believed to be the cause of the outbreak and can cause severe respiratory illness.

Twelve states in the US Midwest have reported cases over the past month, with dozens of children admitted into intensive care.

Frequent hand washing and good hygiene help protect against the virus.

Enteroviruses are common and usually do not require hospital care. The symptoms typically manifest as an intense summer cold, with the number of infections declining in September.

But EV-D68, which was first recorded in California in 1962, is less common in the US and can cause mild or severe respiratory illness.

Over the past month, doctors in a number of states have reported an unusually high number of cases where symptoms have developed into acute respiratory distress and where the patient has needed hospitalisation, and in some cases, intensive care.

Source: BBC

BDST: 0838 HRS, SEP 09, 2014