Bauchi records 26 deaths, 180 suspected cases of Diptheria
Story from Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BASPHCDA) said the state has recorded 26 deaths and 180 suspected cases of the diphtheria disease.
The Executive Chairman of the Agency, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed said the outbreak has been confirmed in ten Local Government Areas of the state.
Mohammed gave the update on Friday in Bauchi at a USAID-IHP Media Engagement on the 2023 Bauchi State budget performance.
He said, “A total of 26 deaths were recorded among suspected, confirmed cases (CFR- 14.40%).
“Ten (10) LGAs reported at least a case, totalling 180 suspected cases in Bauchi State.
“Jamaáre LGA accounted for 57.8% of the diphtheria cases.
READ ALSO: Bauchi government shuts down schools as Diphtheria kills 5 students
Dr Mohammed gave the name of the local government areas with the recorded 180 suspected cases to include, Bauchi 07, Dambam 32, Darazo 02, Itas-Gadau 05, Jamaáre 104, Katagum 17, Misau 09, Ganjuwa 01, Giade 01, and Ningi local government 01.
He said out of the 180 suspected cases reported, 7 (3.9%) were lab confirmed and 166 were clinically compatible and four out of the 26 deaths were confirmed diphtheria, while the remaining 22 patients present signs or symptoms and complications of diphtheria following the outcome of results of tests conducted on them.
Rilwanu said that the suspected cases were being investigated to ascertain the confirmed cases, adding that health personnel had been trained to handle the outbreak and disease surveillance team deployed for active case search across the state.
“As at 23 August 2023, a total of 180 suspected cases were reported in 10 LGAs, 26 deaths recorded, out of the total deaths, four are confirmed cases while 22 others are suspected cases which is why WHO is supporting the reactive vaccination for aged zero to 14 years.
“The ages of the suspected/confirmed cases were 0–55 years while two deaths were recorded among the 7 confirmed cases (CFR: 28.60%), 12 (11.5%) of the total cases were reported from Jama’are LGA where they were partially vaccinated with a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine.
The chairman said that the state has commenced a vaccination exercise in some local government areas in order to curtail the outbreak.
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