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Nigeria Records Over 13,000 Cases of Suspected Diphtheria Outbreak

Nigeria has experienced a significant outbreak of suspected diphtheria, with over 13,000 cases reported as of Tuesday, according to Ifedayo Adetifa, the director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). Out of these cases, 8,406 have been confirmed.

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Adetifa revealed that the majority of the confirmed cases, 73.7 percent, were children and adolescents between the ages of one and 14 years. Infants constituted less than one percent, children between one and four years accounted for 14.4 percent, and those between five and nine years made up 32.2 percent. Additionally, victims aged ten to 14 years accounted for 27.1 percent, while individuals above 20 years constituted 15 percent of the cases.

The records indicate that many of the confirmed cases were individuals who had not been vaccinated against diphtheria. Out of the 8,406 confirmed cases, 64 percent were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, 11 percent of cases had unknown vaccination status, and 25 percent were fully vaccinated against the disease.

The NCDC has taken immediate action by deploying National Rapid Response Teams (NRRTs) to provide on-site surveillance and support in affected states. Adetifa further explained that the NCDC has activated diphtheria surveillance and public health measures in 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), covering 114 local government areas out of the country’s 774.

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In order to enhance testing capabilities, the NCDC has established a Diphtheria Laboratory Network comprising of 14 laboratories. The organization is also working towards optimizing an additional five laboratories at the subnational level. Laboratory personnel at the subnational level have undergone training on diagnostic processes, quality assurance, biosafety, biosecurity procedures, and data management.

Adetifa also mentioned ongoing efforts to install laboratory equipment in Kaduna, Katsina, and Bauchi states to support the optimization of laboratories. Unfortunately, security challenges have made it difficult for some NRRTs to access certain local government areas.

Alexander Chimbaru, the Deputy Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Nigeria, stressed the importance of support from traditional, religious, and community leaders in vaccinating children. He emphasized that diphtheria is a highly infectious disease and a significant concern, while reassuring the public that the available vaccines are safe and effective.

Mary Boyd, the Country Director of the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, praised the Nigerian government for establishing a task force dedicated to addressing the diphtheria outbreak.

ENND

– Nigeria Records Over 13,000 Cases of Suspected Diphtheria Outbreak – NNN – NNN – Latest News Updates Today

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