Yobe State Government has reported 30 deaths from 289 cases of diphtheria from six local councils of the state.
Diphtheria, a bacterial infectious disease, is spread among people by direct contact or through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing.
Announcing the death toll, yesterday, in Damaturu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Dr. Muhammad Gana, disclosed: “The death toll of 30 were recorded in Potiskum Local Council from 289 reported cases in Gulani, Bursari, Nangere and Damaturu local councils in the state.”
According to him, the active cases have been isolated at specialist hospitals in Potiskum and Damaturu.
He noted that 219 diphtheria cases had been treated and discharged from the hospitals.
On halting spread of disease, Gana said the state government and partners intervened in fighting the outbreak and spread of the disease in the affected local councils.
“We are strategising to coordinate a result-oriented means of preventing and managing the disease. This will ensure a diphtheria-free state, including the border areas with Niger,” he said, adding that diphtheria affected mainly the zero-dose vaccination households in five local councils.
He also said: “The Ministry of Health is identifying the households for vaccination of children under five years. There are essential drugs, including Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT being distributed to health facilities in the state.”
The government, he said, is conducting training of clinical staff to effectively manage cases of diphtheria.
Gana lamented that malaria cases were also feared to complicate diphtheria outbreak.
He, therefore, called on stakeholders to embark on massive sensitisation of communities on the outbreak and spread of diphtheria.
“We should concentrate on how to prevent the spread of the disease among communities and the border areas with Niger,” he said.
Reiterating the need for adequate mobilisation of the people to immunise their under-five children, he said the Ministry of Information would embark on result-oriented advocacy, sensitisation and mobilisation of communities on the disease.
