No fewer than 61 persons have lost their lives in Kano State in an outbreak of diphtheria.
Kano State Case Manager, Dr. Salma Suwaid, confirmed the bacterial infection that affects the throat and upper airways.
This caused difficulty in breathing, heart failure and even death.
The disease is highly contagious and spreads easily through coughing and sneezing.
Suwaid, during a webinar organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, with the theme: “Diptheria outbreak in Nigeria: Vaccination Response,” said 783 patients have been admitted to the hospital so far: 360 females and 423 males.
She emphasised the urgent need for vaccination response to halt the spread of the disease, adding: “We need to act fast and effectively to stop this outbreak from claiming more lives.
“Vaccination is our best defence against diphtheria, and we must ensure that everyone is vaccinated particularly children.
“The outbreak is largely due to low vaccination rates in the affected communities.
“Many people have not received the necessary vaccinations, leaving them vulnerable to infection.”
