Diphtheria spreads to Nasarawa, 15 Cases Confirmed

The Nasarawa State Ministry of Health has confirmed a diphtheria outbreak in the state, with 15 cases confirmed to date. The majority of the cases, 11, are from Keffi Local Government Area, while the remaining cases are spread across three other LGAs. The cases range in age from 2 months to 11 years old. Dr. Attah Peter, Director of Public Health, revealed that most of the affected children have not been vaccinated, which is believed to be the reason behind the outbreak.

He also noted that adults up to 50 years old have been affected in other states due to lack of vaccination. Unlike last year, there have been no deaths reported this year due to early detection and prompt treatment. Vaccines and treatment have been deployed to various facilities in the state to manage the cases. Dr. Attah advised parents and caregivers to take advantage of the free routine immunization available at Primary Healthcare Centers across the state.

Routine immunizations include vaccines for children from birth up to 18 months, with booster doses available. He also recommended that girls aged 9 to 11 years receive the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.