NCDC REPORTS 216 CASES AND 40 FATALITIES FROM DIPHTHERIA.

As the death toll from diphtheria has reached 40 thus far, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 216 cases in the nation.

The NCDC also said that there are currently 523 suspected cases in the nation, with the states affected being Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Lagos, and Osun.

This information was presented during a webinar on Monday titled “Diphtheria Outbreak in Nigeria: A Case of Re-Emergence or Improved Surveillance,” which our correspondent watched. Dr. Bola Lawal is the Lead of the Diphtheria/Pertussis Technical Working Group at the NCDC.

According to Lawal, the organization is now assisting with the response efforts in the States of Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Osun, and Yobe.

Kano state has recorded 396 suspected cases with 211 confirmed cases, Yobe state has recorded 78 suspected cases with two confirmed cases, Katsina has recorded 34 suspected cases but no confirmed case as of yet, Lagos state has recorded 14 suspected cases and two confirmed cases, and Osun state has so far recorded one confirmed case.

“We also have 40 fatalities with a case fatality rate of 18.5%. 184 (85.2%) of the 216 confirmed cases—representing both sexes—were between the ages of two and 14 years.

Regarding the level of vaccination, Lawal stated that of the 216 confirmed cases, 27 had received all three types of vaccinations, 84 had not, and 20 had received only some of them.