An outbreak of diphtheria infection in Kano State has reportedly claimed no fewer than 25 lives since last Friday.
According to the Punch, the child killer disease, first recorded in the state in late 2022 is being treated as an outbreak at the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano.
Medical experts say diphtheria infection is a serious infection of the nose and throat, which is easily preventable by vaccines.
The signs and symptoms of diphtheria, according to the experts, may include, sore throat, hoarseness, swollen glands (enlarged lymph nodes) in the neck, difficulty breathing or rapid breathing, nasal discharge, fever and tiredness.
The contagious infection was reportedly first discovered at Ungogo Local Government Area of the state.
The state Ministry of Health recorded no fewer than 58 suspected cases of the disease. Six were placed on admission, while 25 patients died as of January 13, 2023.
The Punch learnt that following the enormity of the outbreak, the National Centre for Disease Control, last week deployed medical personnel to the state.
Médecins Sans Frontières, popularly known, as Doctors without Borders, have established a case management centre at the Murtala Muhammed Hospital and have been providing essential drugs.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Tsanyawa disclosed that the state emergency preparedness committee met on Thursday morning on the matter.
He said the State Rapid Response team had been reactivated and an index action plan to check the spread of diphtheria had been put in place.
“Right now we have presented a budget for this to the government and it has been approved,” the commissioner emphasised.
He said the low routine immunisation, which escalated the spread of the disease, was due to the hard-to-reach areas in the state.
He noted that the state is, however, strengthening its routine immunisation exercise.
