A first-grade student at Peoria’s Vistancia Elementary School, has died, after contracting what has been described as a serious respiratory condition. Peoria Unified School District spokeswoman Erin Dunsey says the student became ill over the weekend. She says parents have been sent a letter telling them what happened and what the district is doing.
“We are taking precautionary measures by making sure classrooms are disinfected and anti-bacterial bottles are available in every classroom just, like I said, as a precaution," Dunsey said.
Dunsey says however, some parents have decided to keep their children home, as health officials try to determine the exact cause of the first grader’s death.
Some parents who were concerned the child contracted Enterovirus D68 are keeping their children home until the cause of death is determined.
"We don’t know for sure what caused the severe respiratory disease in this person. However we do know that we have a lot of people at risk for respiratory disease," said Jeanene Fowler from the Maricopa County Department of Health. "So we’re just asking people to do what we ask them to do every year, and that’s to cover coughs when their out, stay home when they’re sick, wash their hands often."
Fowler says there are no confirmed cases of EV-D68 in Arizona.
Updated 10/15/2014 at 12:56 p.m.
KJZZ's Kathy Ritchie contributed to this report.