Diphtheria outbreak kills 23, 143 suspected cases reported in Plateau

An outbreak of diphtheria has claimed the lives of 23 people, with 143 others suspected to have contracted the disease in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The development has raised serious concerns among health officials in the state, who have intensified efforts to contain the spread of the disease.

Nicholas Baamlong, the commissioner for health told journalists on Tuesday that the outbreak is mainly concentrated in Jos North, while the government is working to prevent its spread to neighbouring local government areas.

“There is actually an outbreak of Diphtheria in the state. As of today, we have 143 suspected cases and we have lost 23 patients. Some of the patients are receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Plateau State Specialist Hospital,” he said.

Read also: Katsina records diphtheria cases in 29 LGAs, secures 650,000 vaccine doses

“We have made a lot of effort to stabilise the situation and to prevent further escalation. Rikkos community is majorly affected. The most unfortunate is that there’s no anti-toxin for treatment, so we use antibiotics. It spreads through coughing, sneezing and contact with the person that is affected,” he said.

Earlier, Baks Bulus, the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer for Jos North Local Government said 15 deaths occurred within three days of the outbreak and warned that additional cases could arise if urgent preventive measures were not adopted.

He said the development came barely two days after a family in Jos reportedly lost two children to the suspected infection.

Explaining the mode of transmission, Bulus said diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can spread rapidly from one person to another, particularly among close contacts.

Read also: Borno govt, MSF vaccinates 350,000 children against diphtheria in Maiduguri

He added that people who share personal items such as utensils and towels with infected persons are at risk of contracting the disease.

“It keeps spreading when people come in close contact with an infected patient,” he said.

“For children, who have been vaccinated, the effects may not be much and may not lead to death. But for a child, who has not been vaccinated or has not completed the required doses, it can be deadly,” he said.

He urged residents, particularly those in affected communities, to maintain good personal hygiene and report suspected symptoms at government health facilities.

Read also: Over 50 child deaths push Kano diphtheria outbreak into emergency

“People should maintain good personal hygiene and avoid overcrowded places. We advise residents to visit the nearest health facility because early detection is key to saving lives,” he said.

He, however, said health personnel from the local government had been deployed to affected communities to intensify surveillance and sensitise residents on measures to prevent further spread of the disease.

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