Viral outbreak in South Jersey pediatric nursing home infects another child

An image of the Adenovirus (CDC)

A fifth child has been infected in a viral outbreak at a long-term care facility in Camden County, state Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal announced Monday.

The outbreak at the Voorhees Pediatric Facility in South Jersey is unrelated to the one that has claimed 10 young lives at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in northern Passaic County.

The hospital-acquired adenovirus is to blame in both locations, but the strain detected at Voorhees is not as virulent as the one in Haskell, the health department said.

Vooehees and Wanaque serve children who require around-the clock care and usually rely on technology to help them breathe and eat.

"The Department and local health partners have been working with the facility to provide infection control recommendations and identify other possible illnesses since the facility notified the Department of a case of adenovirus in a resident on October 26," Elnahal said.

More cases may develop, the department said. So far, the onset of the illness began Oct. 20 and the most recent illness was reported Oct. 29, the department said.

A message left for Voorhees' Administrator Scott Goldberg was not immediately returned.

A Nov. 2 press release on the facility's website said three of the four residents of the facility had recovered.

"Voorhees Pediatric Facility is working aggressively to control the spread of the virus," according to the press release, which described the strain of adenovirus as "mild."

The health department the specific strain, though not yet identified, is not type 7, which can lead to death and has been identified at the Wanaque facility, the press release said.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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