Nigerian Government Sets Up Taskforce to Contain Diphtheria Outbreak

The government has established an emergency task force to contain the spread of diphtheria in the country. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Pate said the task force's primary objective is to operate in an emergency mode to prevent the further spread of diphtheria to other states and provide relief to affected communities.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared an outbreak of diphtheria in Nigeria. There are more than 790 confirmed and 80 deaths since December 2022. The majority of cases were reported in Kano State (782), followed by Lagos, Yobe, Katsina, Cross River, Kaduna, and Osun. Children most affected are aged two to 14 years.

Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease, but the outbreak has been attributed to sub-optimal vaccination coverage, as 82% of the confirmed cases were unvaccinated.

Diphtheria is a highly contagious infection that is often fatal in up to 10% of cases. It is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria, of which humans are the only natural host. It affects all age groups but mostly young children. It is transmitted through respiratory secretions, or by breathing in droplets from an infected person when they cough or sneeze.

The NCDC is working with relevant authorities to control the spread of the disease and is urging the public to seek early diagnosis and treatment. In response to the outbreak, the House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Health, NCDC, and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency to intensify sensitisation campaigns and contain the outbreak effectively.

This article originally appeared on allAfrica.

Image via africanews.