Diphtheria outbreak: Kano appeals for vaccines after 50 deaths

Kano State in Nigeria is experiencing a diphtheria outbreak. According to the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), 32 diphtheria cases have been officially recorded in the state this year, with 25 cases reported in August, six in July, and one in May.

The KNCDC Director-General, Professor Muhammad Abbas, stated that seven of the 32 patients were admitted to the Infectious Disease Hospital, the designated isolation and treatment centre for diphtheria cases in Kano. An active case search identified 10 additional cases and two deaths.

The KNCDC reports 50 deaths, although only 32 cases have been officially recorded. The Director-General attributed the discrepancy to late reporting, with some patients being treated at home or by traditional healers instead of seeking care at health facilities. The KNCDC is conducting verbal autopsies to determine the actual cause of death. Kano State is now appealing for more diphtheria vaccines.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, Punch Nigeria, Daily Post Nigeria — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.