The number of confirmed cases of diphtheria disease has risen to 123 in the country, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. This is even as the agency warned that people should be wary because there is likely to be more cases in more states in the days ahead.
The Director General of
the NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, disclosed this on Monday.
This is just as the
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, urged parents to ensure that their
children get vaccinated against the infection as the country is still battling
Lassa fever, measles, meningitis, and yellow fever.
Diphtheria is a serious
bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that
affects the nose, throat and sometimes, skin of an individual.
It spreads easily between
people through direct contact with infected people, droplets from coughing or
sneezing, and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.
Adetifa said the cases
were recorded in Kano, Lagos, Yobe, and Osun States.
According to the DG, the
highest number of confirmed cases and deaths were recorded in Kano State.
He said, “Based on the
latest reports from states shared with the NCDC as of January 22, 123 confirmed
cases and 38 deaths have been recorded.”
A breakdown of the cases
showed that Kano State recorded 100 confirmed cases with 32 deaths, followed by
Yobe State with 17 confirmed cases and three deaths; Lagos State recorded five
confirmed cases and three deaths, while Osun State recorded one case.
Speaking at a ministerial
press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Ehanire said “Diphtheria is a
vaccine-preventable disease and we are urging that people should get
vaccinated. The vaccines are there and we need cooperation and uptake.”
Also speaking, the
Director of Special Duties and Partnership of the NCDC, Dr Priscilla Ibekwe,
said the agency is working with state Ministries of Health and partners to
enhance surveillance and response to the outbreak.
Ibekwe, who represented
the DG at the briefing, said there may be more cases from more states.
She said “Given the
sub-optimal coverage for the third dose of diphtheria containing pentavalent
vaccine (54 percent – 2021 MICS and NICS) in the country, we expect more cases
from more states.
“In view of this, we have
deployed the Rapid Response Team members to support state response and media
engagements with the DG.”
