The CDC has said it expects an outbreak of the potentially deadly neurological and respiratory disease to erupt later this month. The disease, acute flat myelitis, like AFM, often occurs in surfaces in waves and children will catch the deadliest fracture. The CDC warns that the disease is a medical emergency and urges patients to seek immediate medical attention, even in areas with high coronavirus infections.
The CDC has warned in the coming months that they are “critical” and says early detection is essential.
They state that the disease can progress rapidly in just a few hours, causing permanent paralysis and life-threatening respiratory failure in previously healthy patients.
As a result, they have issued new manuals to healthcare providers to ensure that symptoms are identified as early as possible.
Dr Robert Redfield, the organization’s director, said in a statement: “While we are in this critical step in the coming months, the CDC is taking necessary steps to help clinicians better recognize signs and symptoms of AFM in children.
“Recognition and early diagnosis are critical.”
Symptoms begin with fever and respiratory problems, followed by possible weakness of the limbs, difficulty with running and back pain within about six days.
It’s not exactly clear what causes the disease or how it spreads, but doctors think it’s viral – and previously healthy patients are not immune.
There is currently no test or treatment for AFM, nor a proven method of prevention, the CDC said.
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The last time the US experienced an outbreak was in 2018, when 94 percent of the 238 infected were children.
The vast majority, 98 percent, were admitted to the hospital, with more than half of those admitted to intensive care units.
Experts say it is not yet known how the coronavirus pandemic and the introduced social distance measures will affect the spread of AFM.
They are also concerned that the pandemic may affect the ability of the healthcare system to diagnose and respond to the diagnosed disease directly.
But experts acknowledged that the social distancing measures could reduce AFM’s circulation.
Thomas Clark, MD, deputy director of the CDC’s viral diseases department, said: “All clinicians should wait for AFM and patients should evaluate immediately.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, this may require adaptation practices to conduct clinical evaluations of patients by telephone or telemedicine.
However, clinicians should not hospitalize patients if they suspect AFM. ”
AFM has been in waves in the US every two years since 2014 and typically strikes between August and November.
So far this year, 16 cases have been identified, including one death.
There have been a total of 633 confirmed cases since the CDC began monitoring the disease in August 2014.
