There's a polio-like illness that has been spreading across the country and it has now made an appearance in Wyoming.

CNN shared the details of a Centers for Disease Control report on acute flaccid myelitis. The CDC described this condition as "a rare but serious condition. It affects the nervous system, specifically the area of the spinal cord called gray matter, which causes the muscles and reflexes in the body to become weak." The disease appears to affect children and can lead to paralysis just like polio.

The map of reported cases is more than a little concerning.

Centers for Disease Control
Centers for Disease Control
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While Wyoming does now have a reported case of acute flaccid myelitis, Colorado has the most reports with 15 so far.

The CDC reported on what to watch for.

Most of the patients with AFM (more than 90%) had a mild respiratory illness or fever consistent with a viral infection before they developed AFM.

Is this disease contagious? There is confusion about whether AFM can be transferred from human to human. Keep Kids Healthy shared a quote from the CDC that says no. But, the fact that it develops after a viral condition makes it unclear about exactly how contagious or not it is.

You can check the official CDC website as they are updating this situation as new cases develop and are reported.

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