OUTBREAK of Diphtheria has claimed the lives of 23 people and 143 others suspected to have contacted the disease in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The development has caused serious concerns among health officials in the state, who have stepped in to limit the spread of the disease.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Ba’am-Nigerian ristos, said the outbreak of the disease is mainly in Jos North Local Government, adding that the government is making efforts to prevent the spread to neighbouring local governments.
There is actually an outbreak of Diphtheria in the state. As of today, we have 143 suspected cases and we have lost 23 patients. Some of the patients are receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Plateau State Specialist Hospital,” he said.
“We have made a lot of effort to stabilise the situation and to prevent further escalation. Rikkos community is majorly affected.. The most unfortunate is that there’s no anti-toxin for treatment, so we use antibiotics. It spreads through coughing, sneezing and contact with the person that is affected,” he said.
Earlier, the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer for Jos North Local Government, Baks Bulus, said 15 deaths occurred within three days of the outbreak of the disease, and warned that additional cases may arise if urgent preventive measures are not adopted.
He said the development came barely two days after a family in Jos reportedly lost two children to the suspected infection.
Explaining the mode of transmission, Bulus said Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can spread rapidly from one person to another, particularly among close contacts.
He added that people sharing personal items such as utensils and towels with infected persons were at risk of contracting the disease.
“It keeps spreading when people come in close contact with an infected patient,” he said.
“For children, who have been vaccinated, the effects may not be much and may not lead to death. But for a child, who has not been vaccinated or has not completed the required doses, it can be deadly,” he said.
He urged residents, particularly those in affected communities to maintain good personal hygiene and report suspected symptoms at government health facilities.
People should maintain good personal hygiene and avoid overcrowded places. We advise residents to visit the nearest health facility because early detection is key to saving lives,” he said.
He, however, said health personnel from the local government had been deployed to the affected communities to intensify surveillance and sensitise residents on measures to prevent further spread of the disease.
Cc: Nigerian Tribune