Diphtheria Outbreak Claims 39 Lives in Zamfara State

An outbreak of diphtheria in Zamfara State has led to the deaths of 39 children, with an additional 261 suspected cases reported across 10 local government areas. The Zamfara State Ministry of Health confirmed the outbreak, particularly noting that the Gusau Local Government Area has the highest number of suspected cases.

Health workers indicate that many of the affected children are between six and ten months old, and many arrived at healthcare facilities too late for effective treatment. Rilwan Musa, Permanent Secretary of the Zamfara State Ministry of Health, stated that the state government has mobilized a rapid response team to identify new cases and provide emergency treatment.

UNICEF's Cristian Munduate emphasized that only 22 percent of confirmed diphtheria cases in Nigeria had received routine childhood vaccinations, with many children missing vaccinations during the COVID-19 lockdown. The urgent need for increased vaccination efforts is critical to prevent further fatalities.