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Case of rare polio-like illness suspected in Ottawa Co.

Posted at 5:27 PM, Oct 23, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-24 05:43:00-04

OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. -- State health officials say a suspected case of a rare polio-like illness has been found in a child in Ottawa County.

The case of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) is one of four suspected ones in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The others are in Ingham, Macomb and Oakland counties.

State officials say it will be several weeks before testing from the Centers for Disease Control will be able to confirm the cases are AFM.

At least 62 other cases of AFM have been confirmed in 22 states this year, the Associated Press reported earlier this month. About 90 percent of the cases are children who have suffered muscle weakness or paralysis, including in the face, neck, back or limbs. The symptoms tend to occur about a week after they had a fever and respiratory illness.

CDC officials say they haven't found the cause.

It is "a pretty dramatic disease," but fortunately most kids recover, the CDC's Dr. Nancy Messonnier previously told the Associated Press

Similar waves of the same illness occurred in 2014 and 2016.

This is a developing story. We'll update it as more information becomes available. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.