The Federal Ministry of Health says 171 local government areas (LGAs) in 14 states are at high risk of further spread of the diphtheria outbreak.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Olufunsho Adebiyi, said the 171 LGAs included all 144 LGAs in Kano, Katsina, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Yobe, Kaduna and Bauchi states.

Others are 20 contiguous LGAs in Gombe, Jigawa, Borno, Nasarawa, Plateau and Zamfara states; as well as sevenLGAs in Lagos and Osun states.

He said available real-time surveillance data showed active diphtheria outbreaks in 25 LGAs inBauchi, Katsina, Yobe and Kaduna states.

He said the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), states and partners, was mobilizing all the necessary resources to respond effectively to the outbreak.

He said, “A comprehensive response plan has been activated to ensure early detection, containment of cases, as well as preventing further transmission through a multi-phased response strategy.”

The permanent secretary said the partnership aimed at intensified mass vaccination of the identified populations at risk to curb the ongoing diphtheria outbreak in two phases.

Diphtheria affects people of all ages, especially children who are unvaccinated against the disease.

This disease targets mostly the respiratory system of affected individuals and is characterized by signs and symptoms which include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, neck swelling and difficulty in breathing.

These signs and symptoms, if left untreated, could eventually lead to death; and the risk of death is higher in partially vaccinated/ unvaccinated children. (Daily Trust)