Diphtheria Claims 453 Young Lives Across 18 States

Abuja, Nigeria- The Federal Government of Nigeria has reported a staggering 11,587 suspected cases of diphtheria within the nation’s borders.

Disturbingly, 7,202 of these cases have been officially confirmed, spread across 105 local government areas (LGAs) in 18 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

This is contained in a statement released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) during a crucial update on Monday, September 25.

The overwhelming majority of these confirmed cases, a harrowing 6,185, were documented in Kano, while other states grappling with the disease include Yobe (640), Katsina (213), Borno (95), Kaduna (16), Jigawa (14), Bauchi (8), Lagos (8), FCT (5), Gombe (5), Osun (3), Sokoto (3), Niger (2), Cross River (1), Enugu (1), Imo (1), Nasarawa (1), and Zamfara (1).

Most distressingly, children between the ages of one and 14 account for the vast majority of confirmed cases, with those aged five to 14 bearing the brunt of this debilitating illness.

Meanwhile, the outbreak has claimed the lives of 453 individuals, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.3 percent.

In response to this escalating health crisis, which involves a staggering 80 percent of unvaccinated cases, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, has established a national emergency task team.

Diphtheria, a perilous infection caused by the toxin-producing bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae, now presents a grave challenge to Nigeria’s healthcare system, demanding decisive action to curb its devastating impact on the nation’s populace.