The Nigerian government has confirmed that 7,202 cases of diphtheria have been recorded in 18 states across the country, explaining that 73.6 per cent of confirmed cases occurred among children aged one to 14 years.
Penpushing reports that this was made known on Monday in a press statement jointly signed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, among other partners.
The statement added that government said it confirmed 7,202 cases out of 11,587 suspected cases across 105 Local Government Areas in 18 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that 453 deaths have occurred from the infection.
Penpushing further reports that the statement disclosed that Kano state, the epicentre of the infection recorded 6,185 cases, while others include Yobe (640), Katsina (213), Borno (95), Kaduna (16), Jigawa (14), Bauchi (eight), Lagos (eight), FCT (five), Gombe (five), Osun (three), Sokoto (three), Niger (two), Cross River (one), Enugu (one), Imo (one), Nasarawa (one) and Zamfara (one).
The statement stated that the government recently set up an emergency task force to mitigate the spread of diphtheria in the country, stressing that the primary objective of the task force, is to operate in an emergency mode to prevent further spread of diphtheria to other states and provide relief to affected communities.
Penpushing also reports that the statement said the team co-chaired by the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Faisal Shuaib, and the Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Ifedayo Adetifa is expected to liaise with the Governors of the states affected by diphtheria for counterpart funding, ownership, and mass mobilisation.
The other members of the task force include the Director of Public Health in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Anyaike Chukwuma; representatives from the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, and the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Healthcare Delivery (NTLC).
Penpushing reports that the statement said the government explained that it has been coordinating surveillance and response activities across the country since the outbreak of the disease in December, 2022.
The statement noted that the historical gap in vaccination coverage is a driver of the outbreak given the most affected age group and results of the nationwide diphtheria immunity survey that shows only 42 per cent of children under 15 years old are fully protected from diphtheria.
“For the first time for any diphtheria outbreak, the FMOH&SW through NCDC and with WHO support, procured diphtheria antitoxin and more recently intravenous erythromycin and distributed them to the affected states’, the statement reads.
‘With support from partners and in collaboration with the states’ Ministries of Health, Diphtheria Treatment Centres/Wards have been established in affected states. Intensified routine diphtheria immunisation and reactivated vaccination campaigns in 33 LGAs in Bauchi, Katsina, Yobe, Kano, and Kaduna by the NPHCDA’.
‘Mobilised procurement of vaccines and essential logistics for three large-scale outbreak response campaigns in 56 LGAs across seven priority states – Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Yobe”.
Penpushing further reports that government as a measure to reduce the risk of diphtheria, advised parents to ensure that their children are fully vaccinated with the three doses of diphtheria antitoxin-containing pentavalent vaccine given as part of Nigeria’s childhood immunisation schedule.
The statement said government said healthcare workers should also maintain a high index of suspicion for diphtheria and practice standard infection prevention and control precautions while handling all patients in their care.
Penpushing also reports that medical explanation said Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes, the skin of an individual.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said, people most at risk of contracting diphtheria are children and adults who have not received any or a single dose of the pentavalent vaccine (a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine), people who live in a crowded environment, in areas with poor sanitation, and healthcare workers who are exposed to suspected or confirmed cases of diphtheria.
Penpushing reports that Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) also said the disease spreads easily among people through direct contact with infected people, droplets from coughing or sneezing, and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) said the symptoms of diphtheria include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes (conjunctivitis), and neck swelling, adding that in severe cases, a thick grey or white patch appears on the tonsils and, or at the back of the throat associated with difficulty in breathing.
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