1952: The Year Polio Struck 57,879 Americans - A Record-Breaking Epidemic
What Made 1952 the Worst Polio Year in American History?
The 1952 polio epidemic struck 57,879 Americans, making it the worst year on record - 38% higher than the previous peak of 42,033 cases in 1949. With an incidence rate of 37.2 cases per 100,000 population and Nebraska suffering the highest rate at 163.9 per 100,000, this CDC surveillance data reveals the full scope of polio’s terror before vaccines ended the epidemic.