Diphtheria: 31 killed, 469 placed under watch in Plateau

A diphtheria outbreak in Plateau State has claimed 31 lives and affected 469 individuals across 10 Local Government Areas. Health Commissioner Dr. Nicholas Ba’amlong revealed this during a press briefing in Jos. The outbreak, which intensified in August, has seen Jos North report the highest number of suspected cases at 370, followed by Wase with 29 cases. Other affected areas include Jos South, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu, each with 16 cases.

In response, the Plateau State Government has activated its Incident Management System and appointed Dr. Maren Job Damala as Incident Manager to oversee the outbreak's containment. The state's strategy includes community sensitization, intensified case search and contact tracing, treatment of mild cases, and supply of medical commodities to key hospitals for severe case management.

Over 160,000 children have received diphtheria and tetanus vaccines, while 30,000 have been immunized with the Pentavalent vaccine. However, a deficit of 250,000 doses remains to cover the remaining areas.

Symptoms of diphtheria include cough, fever, sore throat, white patches at the back of the throat, breathing difficulties, neck swelling, and occasional skin rash. Dr. Ba’amlong emphasized that diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease and advised residents to maintain good hygiene, avoid close contact with symptomatic individuals, use face masks in crowded places, and seek immediate medical attention if diphtheria is suspected.