The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BASPHCDA) has said that it recorded 26 deaths,180 suspected cases from diphtheria outbreak in 10 local government areas of the state.
The Executive Chairman of the Agency, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, said this today friday in Bauchi when he gave an update on diphtheria outbreak in the state at a USAID-IHP Media Engagement on the 2023 Bauchi State budget performance.
He said “A total of 26 deaths were recorded among suspected, confirmed cases (CFR- 14.40%). 10 LGAs reported at least a case, totalling 180 suspected cases in Bauchi Srate. Jamaáre LGA accounted for 57.8% of the diphtheria cases”
He listed the local government areas where 180 suspected cases were recorded to include Bauchi 07, Dambam 32, Darazo 02, Itas-Gadau 05, Jamaáre 104, Katagum 17, Misau 09, Ganjuwa 01, Giade 01, and Ningi local government 01.”
He said out of the 180 suspected cases reported, 7 (3.9%) were lab confirmed and 166 were clinically compatible,” and four out of the 26 deaths were confirmed diphtheria and the remaining 22 present sign or symptoms and complications of diphtheria following the outcome of results of tests conducted on the patients”.
Rilwanu said the suspected cases were being investigated to ascertain the confirmed cases, adding that health personnel had been trained to handle the outbreak and disease surveillance team deployed for active case search across the state.
The chairman said “As at August 23, 2023, a total of 180 suspected cases were reported in 10 LGAs, 26 deaths recorded, out of the total deaths, four are confirmed cases while 22 others are suspected cases which is why WHO is supporting the reactive vaccination for aged zero to 14 years”
He said “The ages of the suspected/ confirmed cases were 0–55 years while two deaths were recorded among the 7 confirmed cases (CFR: 28.60%), 12 (11.5%) of the total cases reported from Jama’are LGA where they were partially vaccinated with a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine.”
The chairman said that the state had commenced a vaccination exercise in some local government areas in order to contain the outbreak
