In Maryland, five children have contracted a polio-like disease that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently investigating. Polio is a virus that causes paralysis and can be spread through contaminated food or water. These children are some of dozens of people who have similar symptoms.

The most likely diagnosis for this disease is Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) which is a rare disease centered in the spinal cord which causes a loss of muscle tone and reflexes. Most cases of AFM affect children.

While the CDC has made no formal statement on the issue, various state health departments such as Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Minnesota have confirmed that all those currently affected are minors.