Health Department: 2 Additional Suspected Cases Of AFM Under Review In Pittsburgh
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Two additional suspected cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis are being reviewed in the Pittsburgh area.
The Allegheny County Health Department said Monday that the two new patients are from Allegheny County and Westmoreland County.
This brings the number of suspected cases of AFM in the area to three. The third patient is from Beaver County.
There are also six confirmed cases of AFM. Five of those patients are Allegheny County residents. The sixth patient is a Washington County resident.
The six patients from Allegheny County are all from different municipalities.
Officials have not been able to find a connection between the cases.
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The Centers for Disease Control is reviewing the three 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