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First Case Of Enterovirus Confirmed In Maryland

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's a dangerous virus striking children in more than half the country. Now Enterovirus D-68 has arrived here in Maryland. The CDC has confirmed the first case here in the state.

Meghan McCorkell spoke with the family of a child who just recovered.

State health officials will only say they have a confirmed case in suburban Maryland. One Baltimore County mom says it may be her son.

Drew Ratajczak is a bright, energetic nine-year-old---but two weeks ago, he was rushed to the hospital twice with breathing problems.

"Right here was hurting because my lungs were tired of all the coughing," Drew Ratajczak said, pointing to his chest.

"He started coughing and I noticed he was getting blue around his mouth and he was wheezing. I could hear him from across the room," said his mother, Brandi Ratajczak.

Brandi Ratajczak says doctors told her that her son---who suffers from asthma---just had a bad cold.

"When I asked them to test him for the virus that was going around, they said they really weren't testing for it," she said.

But her pediatrician did. The results? Drew tested positive for Enterovirus. Now the state health department confirms the virus is in the state.

"What we want people to know, especially parents, is that if they have a child with asthma, that Enterovirus D-68 is in Maryland," said Dr. Lucy Wilson, Maryland Department of Health.

Enterovirus D-68 can appear to be a common cold but can turn into severe respiratory distress.

According to the CDC, more than 200 people in over 30 states have now tested positive for the Enterovirus. Maryland health officials are now tracking the spread.

"We are monitoring severe respiratory illness in hospitals," Wilson said. "Also monitoring emergency room visits and school absenteeism."

As for Drew Ratajczak, he's feeling a lot better.

"I'm not wheezing anymore," he said.

"Really relieved that he's doing much better," said Brandi Ratajczak.

Now they want to spread the word so others can get better, too.

It's unclear at this point if Drew's case is the one that Maryland health officials are citing or whether it's another child.

Local hospitals say they have been preparing for Enterovirus D-68 to hit the state.

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