AFM Cases and Outbreaks

As of March 1, 2024, there has been 1 confirmed case out of 5 reports of patients under investigation (PUIs) in 2024 and 17 confirmed cases out of 40 reports of PUIs in 2023.

There have been 744 confirmed cases since CDC began tracking AFM in August of 2014. CDC has been thoroughly investigating cases since that time. We have seen increases in AFM cases, mostly in young children, in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

Annual AFM Cases by State

Annual maps represent only cases for whom information was sent to and confirmed by CDC as of March 1, 2024. Patients under investigation are still being classified, and the case counts are subject to change. Cases of AFM have occurred in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

AFM Confirmed Cases 2024

As of March 1, 2024, there has been 1 confirmed case in 1 state.

Annual AFM Cases 2023

As of March 1, 2024, there have been 17 confirmed cases in 14 states.

We defer to the states to release additional information on cases as they choose.

Cases by Month, 2014-2023

Most patients developed AFM between August and November, with increases in AFM cases in 2014, 2016, and 2018. Many viruses commonly circulate at this same time of year, including enteroviruses, which are likely responsible for the increase in cases in peak years.

Confirmed AFM cases by CDC

^ Confirmed AFM cases by CDC from August 2014 through March 1, 2024. Case counts are subject to change.

* The data shown from August 2014 to July 2015 are based on the AFM investigation case definition: onset of acute limb weakness on or after August 1, 2014, and a magnetic resonance image (MRI) showing a spinal cord lesion largely restricted to gray matter in a patient age ≤21 years.

† The data shown from August 2015 to present are based on the AFM case definition adopted by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE): acute onset of focal or flaccid limb weakness and an MRI showing spinal cord lesion largely restricted to gray matter and spanning one or more spinal segments, regardless of age.

For more information, visit the Case Definitions page.