Doctors say polio-like symptoms in children not linked to vaccines

Health officials are trying to dispel widespread rumors that the polio-like disease sickening local kids is caused by children’s vaccines.

Doctor Jeff Duchin of Public Health Seattle-King County says the information circulating on the Internet isn’t true.

Related: CDC confirms deadly, ‘polio-like illness’ is Acute Flaccid Myelitis

“There is not evidence suggesting that immunizations are in any way related to this as a matter of fact. We give vaccines every day to every child based on their age and we don’t see any disease.”

There have been eight confirmed cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis. Three more children were hospitalized this week with similar symptoms. One child tested negative for AFM, the results from the two other children are pending.

Duchin says there are 91 cases nationwide, so it’s not just a local problem.