NCDC Issues Diphtheria Outbreak Alert As It Spread To Kano, Lagos, Other States

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has issued a nationwide alert on the outbreak of diphtheria.

Already, Kano State Government said twenty five persons had died in the outbreak of the disease in the state.

NCDC in a public health advisory issued on thundery night said the disease is spreading.

The centre director general, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa in the advisory said the agency had responded to the cases of the disease in Lagos and Kano States.

According to him, the centre apart from clinically suspected cases now have laboratory confirmed cases.

He asks health workers to be vigilant and look out for symptoms of the disease.

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The symptoms of diphtheria, include drilling of saliva, the change of voice, neck swelling, cough, sore throat, abnormal breathing and mouth odour.

According to the NCDC, Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat and sometimes, skin of an individual.

The symptoms of diphtheria include; fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes (conjunctivitis) , and neck swelling.

In severe cases, a thick grey or white patch appears on the tonsils and/or at the back of the throat associated with difficulty breathing.

NCDC says diphtheria spreads easily between people through; direct contact with infected people, droplets from coughing or sneezing, and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.