OLYMPIA — Public health officials are investigating after five Washington children, including one from Snohomish County, were hospitalized due to sudden paralysis in their limbs.
The state Department of Health and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working to determine if the cases are acute flaccid myelitis. It is a rare but serious condition that affects the spinal cord and nervous system.
There are two possible cases reported in King County, and one each in Snohomish, Pierce and Lewis counties. All are children six or younger. They reportedly had symptoms of a respiratory illness and a fever before the paralysis.
There is nothing at this point to suggest a single source of the illnesses, according to the state.
Several hundred cases involving similar symptoms have been reported in recent years in other states.
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