Beaver Co. Resident Being Treated For Suspected Case Of AFM
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Another suspected case of Acute Flaccid Myelitis is being reviewed in the Pittsburgh area.
The Allegheny County Health Department said Monday afternoon that a Beaver County resident is now being treated for a suspected case of AFM.
This brings the number of suspected cases of AFM in the area to two. There are also five confirmed cases of AFM.
Five patients, four confirmed cases and one suspected case, are residents of Allegheny County. One patient with a confirmed case of AFM is a resident of Washington County.
Officials have not been able to find a connection between the cases.
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The Centers for Disease Control is reviewing the two suspected cases.
Acute Flaccid Myelitis is a rare disease that affects a person's spinal cord and nervous system. Experts have no idea what causes it, but they know it comes from one of the more than 100 enteroviruses. There is no known cure or vaccine.
Doctors say the first sign of AFM in a child is usually weakness of one or both arms or legs.
More information can be found on the Health Department's website here: alleghenycounty.us/Health-Department/AFM-Alert.aspx
