The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has reported an outbreak of Diphtheria in certain areas of Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria.
Dr. Sadiq Abdulrahman, the Director of the Public Health Department in the FCT, made the announcement during a news conference held in Abuja on Monday.
Abdulrahman revealed that the disease has already claimed the life of a four-year-old child. He also mentioned that previous outbreaks of Diphtheria were reported in Lagos, Ondo, and Kano states in January, which prompted a nationwide response by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Diphtheria is caused by a bacterial infection known as Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which produces toxins leading to breathing difficulties, heart rhythm issues, and potentially fatal consequences.
The Director confirmed the outbreak after conducting tests on samples from suspected cases in a community near Dei-Dei, which yielded positive results for Diphtheria.
“Two weeks ago, we got information from a community within the FCT of eight cases and that made our team to pick some samples.
“The samples were taken to the National Reference Laboratory, Gaduwa, and the NCDC, and one of the suspected cases came out positive,” he said.
Abdulrahman emphasized the importance of residents reporting any unusual symptoms, particularly respiratory difficulties, to the relevant authorities. He also urged them to maintain good personal hygiene as a preventive measure.
The Director stated that the Public Health Department was working in collaboration with neighboring states to prevent the spread of the disease through border surveillance.
Dr. Yahaya Vatsa, the Executive Secretary of the FCT Primary Health Care Board, warned that individuals who were not vaccinated and resided in crowded and unhygienic environments were at a higher risk of contracting the disease.
He urged residents to ensure that their children received complete vaccinations according to the National Childhood Immunization Schedule.
“To reduce the risk of contracting the disease, FCT residents are hereby advised to ensure that their children are fully vaccinated with three doses of the pentavalent vaccine. This is recommended in the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule,” he said.
Vatsa advised individuals with any of the signs and symptoms to isolate themselves and notify the FCT Disease Surveillance Notification Officer or the Emergency Operation Center, through the FCT Call Center toll-free lines.
