62 Cases of Polio-like Illness in 22 States Prompts Warning
NBCDFW.com is reporting 62 cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis in 22 states, including Texas.
It's an illness that officials are comparing to polio and it's spreading to areas across the U.S. Acute Flaccid Myelitis targets the spinal cord, nervous system, and causes weakness and temporary paralysis in the arms and legs. Like polio, many of the cases have been children.
There have been 127 reports from the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. They have confirmed 62 cases in 22 states including Texas. 90% of the cases are persons under the age of 18. Vaccination against the polio virus will help protect kids from AFM. So far, mosquitos are suspected as a contributing factor in spreading the threat.