BOSTON, MA (WBZ-AM) -- Massachusetts has its first confirmed case of a polio-like illness that's being seen across the country.
It's called Acute Flaccid Myelitis -- or AFM. It usually strikes children focusing in the area of the spinal cord called gray matter -- and causes partial paralysis.
From The CDC: What is Acute Flaccid Myelitis
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has not released the name -- age or hometown of the victim. Officials tell WBZ-TV that --- five other possible cases are being investigated.
They say that the polio-like illness is a serious condition and there is no specific treatment.
In a conference call Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control says 62 cases have been confirmed across the nation.
“There is a lot we don’t know about AFM and I am frustrated that despite all our efforts we haven’t been able to identify the cause of this mystery illness,” Messonnier said.
While, CDC officials say AFM isn't new -- there's been an uptick in cases since 2014.
The agency has received reports of 127 patients under investigation, in 22 states this year.