Lagos confirms polio outbreak, as Diphtheria spreads to 13 LGAs in Kano

Kano Government has confirmed the outbreak of the throat disease, also known as diphtheria, in 13 Local Government Areas of the state, with three dead.

Outbreak of the deadly disease was first reported last Friday, January 20, with initial report quoting the fatality figure at 25.

This is also as the Lagos Government, Sunday, disclosed that it has entered into collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to commence a Polio Outbreak Response (OBR) campaign following discovery of circulating poliovirus strains in the state.

Confirming the spread of the deadly throat disease in the region, Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Tsanyawa, during at a briefing on diphtheria and lassa fever outbreaks in the state, Saturday, said that 100 suspected cases have been recorded out of which three have died.

“As at 20th of January 2023, we have recorded 100 suspected cases from 13 local government areas. Ungogo, Nassarawa, Bichi, Dala, Dawakin Tofa, Dawakin Kudu, Fagge, Gwale, Kano Municipal, Kumbotso, Kiru, Rano, and Gwarzo. Out of the 100 suspected cases, eight were confirmed, while we are awaiting more results. We have lost three lives among the eight confirmed cases.”

Tsanyawa said currently 27 patients were on admission receiving treatment while 41 have been managed and discharged.

The commissioner noted that on January 10, the public Health Emergency operation centre received a report of suspected case of Lassa fever from Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, Kano, adding that a team was deployed to investigate, samples were taken for laboratory test and three days later the result turned positive for Lassa fever.

“10 samples were taken from the high-risk contacts of the index case, 3 become positive making a total of 4 cases which is currently managed at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital isolation canter.”

The commissioner maintained that the state government had activated Kwanar Dawaki isolation centre for isolating the Lassa fever cases. He added that medical personnel have been trained and transferred to the isolation centre where drugs and consumables were propositioned and is fully functional.

He pointed out that the state would conduct a Routine immunisation campaign to the affected local government areas.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB), Dr Ibrahim Mustafa, has disclosed that the planned collaboration with the NPHCDA to kick-off the campaign on polio immunisation will start from between January 21 and 24 in all Local Government Areas (LGAS) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state.

He noted that the campaign was necessary to prevent a setback in the country’s laudable achievements, and critical to maintain the country’s polio-free status, following the certification received in August 2020.

“The campaign aims to vaccinate all children, aged zero to five years, with two drops of the oral polio vaccine, regardless of their previous vaccination status to prevent poliomyelitis that may result in paralysis of the limbs or death,” he said.

He said that vaccination teams would visit residential homes, schools, churches, mosques, gated estates, and all public places where eligible children could be found.

“In view of this, we solicit all parents, guardians, community leaders, pastors and imams to ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated during the campaign in all our communities,” he said.

Mustafa added that routine immunisation services would be available at the primary health centres during the campaign.

He advised that all children under the age of two years must complete their routine immunisation as scheduled, saying that immunisation was effective, safe and free.

Nigeria was certified Wild Polio Virus (WPV) free on August 25, 2020, after three consecutive years of reporting no case of the disease.

Mustafa, however, said some countries still transmitted the wild polio variant, which had been on increase in some states across Nigeria due to low routine immunisation coverage.