Three children have been killed while seven others are hospitalised from suspected outbreak of diphtheria in Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Health Secretary of the Makarfi Local Government Council, Malam Aliyu Alassan, confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday.
Alassan said the suspected cases occurred at Tashar Na Kawu, Gubuchi Ward of the local government.
He said most of the affected victims were children, adding that the specimen of the victims had been forwarded to Abuja for analysis.
“Those suspected with the disease have been taken to the hospital and isolated for medical observation.
“While contact tracing is going on to prevent further spread of the disease,” he said.
NAN reports that the state Ministry for Health had earlier confirmed cases of Diphtheria in Kafanchan, headquarters of Jema’a Local Government Area of the state.
The Crux earlier reported the confirmation of the disease by the Kaduna State Government through the Ministry of Health in some communities in Kafanchan, Jema’a local government area of the State.
The confirmation was seque to several reports about residents in Takau Ward, Kafanchan A and Kafanchan B Wards exhibiting symptoms like difficulty in breathing, high fever, cough, general body weakness, sore throat, and neck swelling.
The outbreak of a strange disease in parts of Kafanchan had been reported to have killed about 10 children aged between three and 10 years.
READ ALSO: https://thecrux.org.ng/kaduna-govt-confirms-diphtheria-outbreak-in-kafanchan/
Muhammad Lawal Shehu, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sani, had in a statement explained that upon learning about the unfortunate loss of lives in the affected communities, the State Governor immediately directed the State Ministry of Health to send an emergency team to investigate the cases.
The statement said a preliminary report from the Ministry revealed that the outbreak of Diphtheria in Kafanchan had its first recorded case in the beginning of July, 2023.
Governor Sani, while commending the health officials for their prompt response to the health emergency, urged them to continue to carry out their tasks diligently to ensure that the disease is contained and subsequently eradicated.
“Actions taken by the Ministry so far include the movement of affected cases to adequately equipped hospitals for proper management, active case searches, contact tracing and intensive community sensitization in all affected communities and surrounding areas.
NAN
