Lagos, Jan. 22, 2022 – Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, the Director General of National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, says diphtheria has killed at least 35 persons in the country.
Dr Adetifa said this during a television programme in Lagos.
He said cases of diphtheria had been reported in Lagos, Kano, Yobe, and Osun states with Kano having the highest number and followed by Yobe State.
The NCDC, had in an advisory issued on Friday, said it had responded to reports of diphtheria cases in Lagos and Kano states and was monitoring the situation in Osun and Yobe states where cases were also being reported.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affect the nose, throat, and sometime skin of an individual.
Diphtheria spreads easily among people through direct contact with infected people, droplets from coughing or sneezing, and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.
The onset of signs and symptoms usually starts after two to 10 days of exposure to the bacteria.
The symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes (conjunctivitis), and neck swelling. (GBN)
