The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 216 diphtheria cases in the country, and the death toll has hit 40 so far.
The NCDC also said the suspected cases in the country are now 523 from five states: Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Lagos, and Osun.
The lead of the Diphtheria/Pertussis Technical Working Group in the NCDC, Dr. Bola Lawal, revealed this at a webinar titled “Diphtheria Outbreak in Nigeria: A Case of Re-Emergence or Improved Surveillance,” monitored by our correspondent on Monday.
Lawal said the agency is currently supporting response activities in Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Osun, Yobe, and other states.
He further said: “Kano state has recorded 396 suspected cases with 211 confirmed cases; Yobe state has recorded 78 suspected cases with two confirmed cases.
“Katsina has 34 suspected cases but no confirmed case yet; Lagos state has recorded 14 suspected cases and two confirmed cases; and Osun state has one confirmed case so far.
“We have also recorded 40 deaths with a case fatality rate of 18.5 percent.
“Of the 216 confirmed cases, 184 (85.2 percent) were between the ages of two and 14 years for both sexes.
On the vaccination status, Lawal said of the 216 confirmed cases, 27 were fully vaccinated, 84 were unvaccinated, and 20 were partly vaccinated.
