Suspected case of polio-like condition in Yakima

Photo: Darko Stojanovic via MGN Online

YAKIMA, Wash. - State health officials are warning of a suspected case of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) affecting one person in Yakima.

The Washington Department of Health (DOH) is working with neurology experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation, the Yakima Health District (YHD) announced Thursday.

Health agencies across the state are currently investigating reports of eight kids who have been hospitalized for sudden paralysis of arms and legs.

The DOH said one of the cases is confirmed AFM, and seven are suspected cases across the state of Washington.

The department said these cases have impacted kids who reportedly had respiratory issues in the week prior to developing symptoms of AFM.

YHD Health Officer Dr. Teresa Everson said the district has not detected a source of illness for these cases.

Symptoms typically include sudden weakness in one or more arms or legs, loss of muscle tone and decreased or absent reflexes.

Doctors say the cause of an individual case of AFM can be hard to determine. They recommend washing hands often, avoiding close contact with sick people, and cleaning surfaces with a disinfectant, especially those that a YHD sick person has touched.

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