Zamfara records 44 diphtheria deaths, extends school resumption

Zamfara State has recorded 44 deaths from a diphtheria outbreak, with the state government extending school resumption as health officials track suspected cases.

The state Director of Public Health, Dr Yusuf Haske, said the Ministry of Health had recorded 367 clinically suspected cases. More than 320 patients had been treated and discharged, according to the reports.

Daily Trust and Vanguard both reported that laboratory tests on samples from suspected patients confirmed the presence of the organism that causes diphtheria.

Haske said the state government had activated surveillance, case management and vaccination measures. He also appealed to parents and caregivers to take children for immunisation and report suspected symptoms early.

The outbreak also affected the school calendar. Vanguard reported that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology extended resumption because of the outbreak, while Daily Trust reported that schools were affected by the same public-health concern.

Sources: Daily Trust, Vanguard