As students across the country begin a new school year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning about an uptick in a highly-contagious respiratory virus.
The virus, known as parvovirus B19, is on the rise across the United States, and particularly in children ages 5 to 9, the CDC said in an Aug. 13 health warning. There are seven things for parents and caregivers to know about the virus.
Parvovirus B19 is highly transmissible because it is spread from person to person via respiratory droplets.
People who interact closely with children -- including at schools and daycare centers -- are at a higher risk for infection, according to the CDC.
Parvovirus B19 infections are most common in late winter, spring, and early summer.