Rise in Polio-like Condition Among Young Kids Could be Coming, CDC Warns

The CDC is warning health providers the country may be about to see an uptick of cases of a polio-like condition called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in young children. AFM is a rare consequence of infection with an enterovirus known as EV-D68, which in most infected children causes respiratory symptoms. In 2014, 2016, and 2018, the U.S. saw surges of such cases; in 2020, when pandemic mitigation measures meant children had limited contact with people outside their families, there was no spike in cases. Experts worry this year could be a bad one for AFM cases, and the CDC health alert, issued last week, suggests those concerns may be warranted, with confirmed cases of EV-D68 on the rise. Read more from STAT News here.