Four Lake County children have been diagnosed with enterovirus D68. The cases were confirmed by state health officials on Friday.
The Indiana State Department of Health is working with local health departments and hospitals to detect others with the illness.
State health officials have already reported a higher than expected level of respiratory illnesess statewide for this time of year.
Indiana joins several other states in this multi-state outbreak, including Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky and others.
Enterovirus D68 causes upper respiratory illness, such as low-grade fever, cough, runny nose, sneezing and body/muscle aches. Infected individuals generally recover on their own without incident by treating symptoms. Those with weakened immune systems or underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, may experience severe complications and require hospitalization with supportive therapy.
Prevent the spread of infection by washing your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Cover your cough with your sleeve or a tissue and stay home if you are sick.
