Plateau diphtheria deaths rise to 31 as suspected cases hit 469

Plateau State says 31 people have died in its diphtheria outbreak, with 469 suspected cases now recorded across 10 local government areas.

The latest figures were announced in Jos by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Ba’amlong. Jos North has the highest number of suspected cases with 370, followed by Wase with 29 and Jos South with 22. Barkin Ladi and Mangu have 16 cases each, while Pankshin has five, Kanam and Mikang four each, Shendam two and Bassa one.

The commissioner said the state had recorded sporadic suspected cases earlier in the year, but the outbreak became a major public health concern from August. The government has activated its Incident Management System and appointed Dr Maren Job Damala as incident manager to coordinate the response.

Health officials have intensified active case search, contact tracing, community diagnosis and treatment of mild cases. Treatment supplies have also been sent to Plateau State Specialist Hospital and Jos University Teaching Hospital for the isolation and management of severe cases.

More than 160,000 children have received diphtheria and tetanus vaccines, while over 30,000 have received pentavalent vaccines. Ba’amlong said the state still needs 250,000 additional doses to cover remaining parts of Jos North and other affected areas.

Teachers from public and private schools in Jos North have been trained on early detection and response. The listed symptoms include cough, sneezing, fever, sore throat, white or greyish patches at the back of the throat, difficulty breathing, neck swelling and, in some cases, skin rash.

Sources: Daily Trust, Vanguard