The Rhode Island health department says a child has died from complications of an unusual respiratory virus that has been affecting children across the U.S.

Health officials said Wednesday that the child died last week of a staph infection associated with the enterovirus 68 infection.

Department spokeswoman Christina Batastini said there have been no deaths in Rhode Island directly attributed to the enterovirus 68 infection. Batastini said she could not say where the child lived or was treated.

Mild cases of the 68 infection can cause fever, runny nose and coughs but severe ones can lead to difficulty breathing. The strain isn't new but it's rarely seen.

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