Diphtheria: Kaduna confirms eight deaths, 68 suspected cases

The Kaduna State government, on Tuesday, confirmed that the state has recorded 68 suspected cases and eight deaths from diphtheria.

Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection that usually affects the mucous membranes of the nose and throat.

This was confirmed by the Director of Public Health, Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Hamza Ibrahim-Ikara, during an interview with reporters in Kaduna on Tuesday.

According to Ibrahim-Ikara, the suspected cases were from four local government areas of the state, which included Makarfi, Kubau, Jema’a (Kafanchan) and Kaduna North. He added that five of the fatalities were from Jema’a and three from Makarfi.

“We still have one suspected case in Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital now”, he said, adding that 28 samples had been taken to the laboratory, and they were awaiting the results.

Read also: Diphtheria: NCDC confirms 61 dead in Kano

“For now, they are all suspected cases; there is no confirmation yet until the results are out”, Ibrahim-Ikala said, disclosing further that contact tracing and active search are also ongoing to curb transmission.

Ibrahim-Ikara, who said that the Rapid Response Team was carrying out media and door-to-door sensitisation campaigns in communities, urged residents to report suspected cases to the nearest health facilities across the state.

He said the state government was prioritising routine immunisation to ensure all children were fully vaccinated against the disease.

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