Kano State Confirms 12 Diphtheria Cases at College

Twelve cases of diphtheria have been confirmed at the First Lady’s College, Mariri, located in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State. Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, the Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), reported that the agency acted swiftly upon receiving the report, sending a response team to the school.

The KNCDC tested 313 suspected cases, with 12 returning positive results. As part of their containment measures, the agency provided medication to suspected contacts and educated students about the disease.

However, Abbas highlighted a significant challenge: a shortage of vaccines, stating that the school, which has over 2,000 students, requires a large-scale vaccination exercise to prevent further infections. He emphasized the need for more vaccines to administer to the students.

The agency is also monitoring disease reports through Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers stationed across Kano State's 44 local government areas.