The Federal Government on Monday confirmed that 7,202 cases of diphtheria have been recorded in 18 states across the country with 453 deaths.
The government made this known in a statement jointly signed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, among other partners.
The government said it confirmed 7,202 cases out of 11,587 suspected cases across 105 Local Government Areas in 18 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It also said 453 deaths have occurred from the infection.
According to the statement, Kano, the epicentre of the infection recorded 6,185 cases.
Other states with cases are Yobe (640), Katsina (213), Borno (95), Kaduna (16), Jigawa (14), Bauchi (eight), Lagos (eight), FCT (five), Gombe (five), Osun (three), Sokoto (three), Niger (two), Cross River (one), Enugu (one), Imo (one), Nasarawa (one) and Zamfara (one).
It also noted that 5,299 of the confirmed cases, which is 73.6 per cent, occurred among children aged one to 14 years, with those aged five to 14 years bearing most of the brunt of the disease.
Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes, the skin of an individual.
According to NCDC, people most at risk of contracting diphtheria are children and adults who have not received any or a single dose of the pentavalent vaccine (a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine), people who live in a crowded environment, in areas with poor sanitation, and healthcare workers who are exposed to suspected or confirmed cases of diphtheria.
