2nd case of rare paralytic disease confirmed in Douglas County, 5th for Nebraska | Health



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A second case of rare paralytic disease this season has been confirmed in a resident of Douglas County, health officials said Friday.

The child has confirmed his presence of acute flaccid myelitis. The case is the fifth of the state this season.

The latest case in Nebraska has been reviewed by the Federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Adi Pour, director of the County of Douglas Health Department.

A previous case of Douglas County was confirmed by federal investigators in December. Two cases were confirmed at the end of last year in the Sarpy / Cass Department of Health and one case was confirmed in northeastern Nebraska last month.

"It's important to remember that the AFM remains extremely rare," said For.

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The disease mainly affects children and has no clear cause yet.

Symptoms tend to come about a week after the child has had fever and breathing problems. They include sudden muscle weakness, including in the face, neck, back or limbs. CDC officials say that at least half of the patients do not recover from paralysis and that some have serious complications.

It is not believed to be passed from person to person. According to the CDC, the disease occurred at a rate of one to two children per million and fewer than 500 cases were confirmed during the five years of follow-up.

In each year the number of cases increased – in 2014 and in 2016 – the number of cases increased in September and decreased significantly in November.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services began surveillance of this disease in 2014 after the occurrence of cases in Colorado. Nebraska's health care providers had to start reporting it to the state in 2016.

Some tips:

If parents see potential symptoms in their child, they should contact their health care provider promptly. Although there is no treatment for the disease or a proven prevention strategy, washing your hands, coughing and staying home when you are sick can help prevent it. People looking for information about the disease can find out more at cdc.gov/acute-flaccid-myelitis.

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