NAIRAMETRICS
The states of Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Lagos, FCT, Sokoto, and Zamfara have been identified as the states most severely affected with Diphtheria outbreak representing 98 per cent of the suspected cases.
Ms. Cristian Munduate, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, stated this in Katsina saying that the majority of the disease’s victims were children.
As of July 2023, the United Nations agency reported 3,850 suspected cases of diphtheria in Nigeria, with 1,387 cases confirmed.
Nairametrics gathers that that the outbreak has resulted in 122 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 8.7 per cent across 27 states in Nigeria.
What she said
Munduate highlighted that the states mentioned have 71.5 per cent of their cases occurring among children aged two to 14 years.
She said:
- “UNICEF Nigeria is amplifying its efforts to counter a growing outbreak of diphtheria that has affected children in 27 states. As of July 2023, 3,850 suspected cases were reported with 1,387 confirmed as diphtheria. The disease has tragically claimed 122 lives, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 8.7 per cent.
- “The outbreak has affected mainly Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Lagos, FCT, Sokoto, and Zamfara, which account for 98.0 per cent of the suspected cases.
- Most confirmed cases, approximately 71.5 per cent, have occurred among children aged 2 – 14 years.”
Call for vaccinations, other interventions
Munduate emphasized that a significant number of the affected children, especially those who lost their lives, had not received any vaccination, underscoring the urgent need to reach out to those who haven’t been vaccinated in the country.
