Diphtheria Kills 10 Children In Jigawa, 91 Cases Reported

Ten children have reportedly died as a result of an outbreak of diphtheria in Jigawa State.

This is even as 91 cases have been reported from 14 local government areas of the state.

The permanent secretary in the state ministry of Health, Dr Sa’idu Mu”azu, disclosed this yesterday while speaking with journalists in Dutse, the state capital.

He said out of the 91 suspected cases two were confirmed while the results of other samples were being awaited.

Dr Muazu added that the state ministry of Health had mobilised teams of health workers to the affected areas.

All the contacts and other children in the affected areas will be given immunisation as part of the campaign to check spread of the child killer disease.

According to the permanent secretary, the ministry has already informed the National Primary Healthcare Agency and National Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) for intervention.

“We have submitted reports to the NCDC and NPHCA and any moment from now they will release the required vaccines we will use for a special round in the identified areas,” he said.