Diphtheria Outbreak Spreads To 29 Katsina LGs, 67,670 Vaccinated

The Katsina State Government has intensified efforts to contain a diphtheria outbreak reported in 29 of the state’s 34 local government areas, with 67,670 eligible residents already vaccinated against the disease.

The government has also secured an additional 650,000 doses of diphtheria vaccines as part of measures to halt further transmission and prevent severe illness and deaths.

The Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), Dr Shaimau Abba, disclosed this yesterday while providing an update on the outbreak.

Abba said suspected cases of diphtheria had been recorded in 29 local government areas as of Epidemiological Week 35, which ended on August 28.

She identified Funtua as the local government area with the highest number of reported cases, followed by Kankia, Bakori, Katsina, Mashi and Daura.

According to her, the spread of the disease across a large number of local government areas constitutes a serious public health concern, prompting the state government to activate measures aimed at containing the outbreak.

She explained that diphtheria is a serious but preventable infectious disease that primarily affects the respiratory system and can spread from person to person, particularly in communities with low vaccination coverage.

“Early detection, immediate treatment, vaccination and strict infection-prevention measures remain critical to controlling the disease,” she said.

Abba urged residents to take advantage of vaccination opportunities and promptly seek medical attention whenever symptoms suggestive of diphtheria are noticed.

She assured that the state health authorities were working to strengthen surveillance, vaccination and response activities across the affected communities to prevent further spread of the disease.