US confirms 10 new cases of neurological disease similar to polio

(Reuters) – The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Tuesday the confirmation of 10 new cases of poliovirus-like serious illness in 24 states.

US centers confirmed earlier this month that there had been 62 cases of acute myelitis, leading to muscle weakness and body reaction. Most of the cases reported so far relate to people under 18 years of age.

The centers said in a health newsletter posted on their website that they had recently received more and more information reporting symptoms of the disease in the past three months.

CDC director Robert Redfield said Monday in an interview with CBS that the centers were still unaware of the causes of the disease, but apparently did not appear to be transmitted between humans.

Acute myelitis is not the new disease, but its incidence has increased since 2014. The disease affects the nervous system, especially the spinal cord, causing weakness of one or more limbs.

The disease is still very rare. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that this disease affects only one in a million people in the United States and that most cases are children.

Since August 2014, the centers have confirmed a total of 396 cases of the disease in the United States. Scientists are studying a number of causes, including viruses, environmental toxins and genetic disorders.