New Disease Outbreak Hits Nigeria As Diphtheria Kills 25 In Kano

As Nigeria battles the scourge of Lassa fever, Cholera and the resurgence of COVID-19, it has recorded outbreak of a new infection known as Diphtheria.

The outbreak of diphtheria disease has killed 25 persons in Kano State, mostly children.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr.  Aminu Tsanyawa confirmed the outbreak of the strange disease on Thursday.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) in a public health advisory issued by the Director General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, on Friday morning, said that it has responded to “reports of diphtheria cases in Lagos and Kano States and is monitoring the situation in Osun and Yobe States where cases are now being picked up.”

The disease attacks the nose and the throat with the following symptoms: fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes (conjunctivitis) and swelling neck.

The Kano State Commissioner said that the state rapid response team has been reactivated and indexed an action plan to check the spread of the deadly disease.

NCDC has however, devised means to work with state health ministries and partners to ensure a high level of surveillance and response to the outbreak.

NCDC further explained that diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat and sometimes, the skin of an individual.

It stated that people mostly at risk of contracting diphtheria in Nigeria are children and adults who have not received full 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.

The commission added that the disease spreads easily between people through direct contact with infected persons, droplets from coughing or sneezing and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.

It also identified the symptoms of diphtheria to include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes (conjunctivitis) and neck swelling. In severe cases, NCDC said that a thick grey or white patch appears on the tonsils and/or at the back of the throat associated with difficulty in breathing.

As a way of preventing the spread of Diphtheria in Nigeria, the NCDC urged parents to ensure that their children are fully vaccinated against diphtheria with three doses of the pentavalent vaccine as recommended in the childhood immunisation schedule.

It further stated that healthcare workers should be vigilant and look out for symptoms of diphtheria, and individuals with signs and symptoms suggestive of diphtheria should isolate themselves and notify the local government area, state disease surveillance officer or the NCDC.

To address Diphtheria in Nigeria, it also advised that “close contacts with a confirmed case of diphtheria should be closely monitored, given antibiotics prophylaxis and started on diphtheria antitoxin treatment when indicated, while all healthcare workers with higher exposure to cases should be vaccinated against diphtheria.”