Diphtheria
Kano tops fatalities, as NCDC confirms 40 deaths from 216 Diphtheria cases nationwide
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 40 deaths so far in the outbreak of the deadly Diphtheria disease across the country, even as it disclosed that 216 cases of the infection have been reported.
According to the agency, Kano topped the list of infections with 211 cases while Yobe, Lagos and Osun states followed with two reports each. Also, out of the fatalities, Kano also led with 38.
Lead of the Diphtheria/Pertussis Technical Working Group, NCDC, Dr Bola Lawal said that the confirmed cases were reported in four states: Kano (211), Yobe (2), Lagos (2), and Osun (2).
Lawal said that the majority of the deaths were recorded in Kano State (38), while Lagos State recorded two deaths, adding that the ‘agency was supporting the response activities in Kano, Lagos, Yobe, Osun, Yobe, and Katsina states.’
He also said out of the 216 confirmed cases, 27 were fully vaccinated, 84 were unvaccinated, and 20 were partly vaccinated.
“Kano state recorded 396 suspected cases with 211 confirmed cases; Yobe State has recorded 78 suspected cases with two confirmed cases; Katsina has 34 suspected cases but no confirmed case yet; Lagos has recorded 14 suspected cases and two confirmed cases; Osun has one confirmed case so far.
“We have also recorded 40 deaths with a case fatality rate of 18.5 per cent. Of the 216 confirmed cases, 184 (85.2 per cent) were aged two to 14 years from both sexes.”
He said that there was low immunisation for the pentavalent vaccine, poor surveillance and limited laboratory capacity to properly diagnose the disease, stressing that the agency was supporting intensified activities to conduct routine immunisation among children under two years, particularly in Kano State.
Also, he said, there has been harmonisation of surveillance and laboratory data from across states and laboratories with the sensitisation/training of clinical and surveillance officers on the presentation, prevention, and surveillance for diphtheria in states where rapid response teams were deployed.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Signs and symptoms usually start two to five days after exposure and range from mild to severe. Symptoms often come on gradually, beginning with a sore throat and fever.
