The first polio case in the U.S. in nearly a decade was recorded in Rockland County, New York, this spring. Now, authorities believe there could be hundreds of unreported cases in the area.
Polio was one of the most feared diseases in the U.S. in the early 1950s, causing more than 15,000 cases of paralysis a year.
The U.S has been considered polio-free since 1979, meaning no cases in the population have originated inside the country. But this latest outbreak could threaten the country’s polio-free status.
How do we make sure polio doesn’t return to the U.S.? And what should you be doing to protect yourself and your loved ones?
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