Mystery illness attacks 9 babies in Kotzebue, Alaska

[Ian David]

GLIDE Number: EP-20070912-13351-USA
Date / time: 12/09/2007 08:40:41
Event: Epidemic Hazard
Area: North-America
Country: USA
State/County: State of Alaska
City: Kotzebue
Number of Deads: None or unknow
Number of Injured: None or unknow
Damage level: Minor

Description:

State health officials are working to understand an illness attacking Kotzebue babies. In the last week-and-a-half, nine babies were medevaced to the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage with breathing trouble. The babies were all originally taken to the Maniilaq Health Center in Kotzebue with fevers that turned into respiratory problems over a matter of days. Two epidemiology nurses with the Alaska Division of Public Health were flown to Kotzebue this morning to investigate this unidentified illness.

Dr. Beth Funk with the Alaska Division of Public Health said it is still unclear what caused the illness. "From the public health standpoint, we're really early into the investigation. I'm hoping in the next 24 to 48 hours we'll have some more information. After the team in Kotzebue is able to look through the records more and the laboratory has a chance to do their magic with the specimens," Funk said.

Dr. Robert Gibson, Maniilaq Medical Director said children with fevers should be checked out.

"We are recommending to the community that children less than 3 months of age, unless they are ill, need to pretty much stay at home and if they do have fever or appear ill, they need to come in and let us check them," Gibson said. Until health officials figure out what they are dealing with, they are encouraging people to wash their hands and cover their coughs to stop the spread of the germ or virus.

More:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?lang=eng&cid=13351