Seven children have died as a result of adenovirus at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Haskell, New Jersey, CNN reported Wednesday.
The New Jersey Department of Health announced the deaths of six pediatric patients at the center and the infection of 12 others Tuesday and then provided an update about an additional death Wednesday.
The deaths have reportedly occurred over the past two weeks.
The exact ages of the deceased children are not being released to protect patient privacy, the department of health said, but their ages range "from a toddler through young adults," with most under 18, spokeswoman Nicole Kirgan said.
Adenoviruses are a family of viruses that account for approximately 5 to 10 percent of fevers in young children, although most recover, according to CBS News. The children at Wanaque appear to have been more susceptible to infections due to their complicated medical conditions.
The pediatric patients at the facility are severely disabled, with some living in comas, and for most the center is their permanent home, according to the North Jersey Record.
Many of the children at the center will never walk or talk.
"The Department continues to work very closely with the facility to ensure that all infection control measures are being followed," the department's communications director, Donna Leusner, said in a statement Wednesday, CBS News reported.
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