‘This disease is a monster’: Furious moms blast CDC for failing to act on mystery polio-like virus which has left hundreds of kids paralyzed since 2012, killed at least two and is now expected to hit unprecedented levels in 2020

This year the number of confirmed cases of the polio-like illness of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) reached its highest yet with 168 cases
That is a steady climb from the 35 confirmed in 2017, 149 in 2016, 22 in 2015 and 120 in 2014
In past cases it has robbed children of the use of limbs but has also left many fully paralyzed and even in need of ventilators to breathe
At least two children have died
Several parents of children who were diagnosed with the illness have shared their anger that more has not been done to educate doctors
Parents of those children say many could have been saved if only the CDC had acted sooner to raise awareness of the condition
In November, the CDC finally launched a task-force to look into it
‘I want to reaffirm to parents, patients, and our Nation CDC’s commitment to this serious medical condition,’ said CDC Director Robert Redfield

Furious mothers of children who have been left partially disabled and fully paralyzed by the polio-like illness of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) have blasted the CDC for failing to act – and say they warned the organization that 2018 was going to be the worst year yet.

Several parents of children who were diagnosed with the illness up to four years ago have spoken to DailyMail.com and revealed their anger that more has not been done to educate doctors and stop the illness in its tracks.

This year the number of cases reached its highest yet with 341 children taken ill across 39 states – 186 of those cases have so far been confirmed with investigations underway on the rest.

That is a steady climb from the 35 confirmed in 2017, 149 in 2016, 22 in 2015 and 120 in 2014.

The illness appears to surge every other year with every resurgence worst than the last.

More than 17 countries have reported the odd AFM case, however, only the US has biannual surges and now experts are warning ahead for 2020.

Parents of children with AFM met with the Deputy Director of the CDC, Dr. Anne Schuchat, along with other officials in Washington on Nov. 13, 2018, to discuss ways to improve reporting of AFM across the country

Angie Anderson’s daughter McKenzie (pictured) was six when she fell ill with ‘the sniffles’ just before Christmas in 2014 which turned out to be AFM

McKenzie is pictured in her hospital bed. In past cases the disease has robbed children of the use of limbs but has also left many fully paralyzed and even in need of ventilators to breathe

The disease has been likened to polio, which struck tens of thousands of children a year in the US before its vaccine was introduced in the 1950s. However, this virus is not thought to be responsible for the outbreaks.

It may be caused by the EV-D68 virus, which is a distant relative of polio and coincided with many cases in 2014.

CDC doctor Dr Ruth Lynfield calls EV-D68 ‘the leading hypothesis’. EV-A71, another polio relative, and rhinovirus are also suspects but no conclusions have been reached.

In past cases it has robbed children of the use of limbs but has also left many fully paralyzed and even in need of ventilators to breathe. At least two children have died.

Parents of those affected say many could have been saved in this year’s outbreak if only the CDC had acted sooner to raise awareness of the condition.

And worryingly they say their actions still aren’t good enough in the face of the outbreak which expects say will only be worse in the next expected wave of 2020……more here

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‘This disease is a monster’: Furious moms blast CDC for failing to act on mystery polio-like virus which has left hundreds of kids paralyzed since 2012, killed at least two and is now expected to hit unprecedented levels in 2020