Not less than 40 Nigerians have allegedly died as the country records 216 diphtheria cases.
According to Bola Lawal, the leader of the diphtheria/pertussis technical working group, at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the confirmed cases were reported in Kano (with 211 cases), Yobe (with two cases), Lagos (with two cases), and Osun (also with two cases).
The majority of the deaths, however, had occurred in Kano with 38 diphtheria patients dead, and in Lagos State with two dead casualties. He stated that the agency was assisting with response efforts in Kano, Lagos, Yobe, Osun, Yobe, and Katsina.
Lawal also revealed that out of the 216 confirmed diphtheria cases, 27 patients were fully vaccinated, 84 patients were unvaccinated, and 20 patients were partially vaccinated.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that produce toxins. This strain can lead to difficulty in breathing, heart rhythm problems, and sometimes death. Vaccines are recommended for infants, children, teens, and adults to prevent diphtheria.
