polio

"More than anything, I believe he would want others to know they are capable of great things," Alexander's friend Christopher Ulmer told NPR.

COVID-19 disrupted health care across the globe. causing the biggest drop in childhood vaccination rates in decades. UNICEF's latest estimates find that nearly 50 million children entirely missed out.

When public health specialists look at the annual case counts, some see a trend that raises questions about how realistic the goal of a polio-free world might be.

It was a big year for viruses, which simply refused to be ignored. And unlike the previous two years, COVID had to share the spotlight.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state is stepping up polio-fighting efforts as the virus was detected in the wastewater of another county in the New York City area.

As polio makes a comeback, Minda Dentler reflects on her life with the disease. Paralyzed as an infant in India, she's gone on to become a champion wheelchair triathlete and an immunization advocate.

Polio is spreading in a few New York counties with low vaccination rates. Experts warn that other places in the U.S. could face the same challenge.

An unvaccinated adult in New York has contracted polio, causing concerns about a possible return of the disease. 

The highly infectious viral disease can lead to permanent paralysis of the arms and legs and even death in some cases. Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated if they haven't been.