Out of the 481 cases of diphtheria that the Borno State Primary Healthcare Board has identified in the state’s 14 local government areas, no fewer than 59 people have passed away.
Goni Abba, the Director of Public Health at Borno State’s Ministry of Health, revealed it in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
In his words, “about 20 cases are currently on admission and 216 samples were taken to the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja for analysis.”
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In response, they meet every day at the public health laboratory to strategize with their partners on a prompt reaction to the diphtheria cases, he said, noting that 29 samples were returned from the National Reference Laboratory.
The director noted that some of the cases were so challenging that the kids were unable to swallow or breathe normally and emphasised that the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital was recommended for critical instances of diphtheria.
He claimed that in order for the youngsters to swallow and breathe, their tracheas needed to be opened with a tracheostomy.
Abba claimed that after the state government sent out local government rapid reaction teams with medications and antitoxins, the spread and mortality of diphtheria were under control.
In contrast to how they began in July, he said that cases are declining, citing the Ministry of Health and NCDC’s assistance in the form of medications and antitoxin as well as the vaccination of young children.
He reaffirmed that they are fighting diphtheria successfully and working to contain all instances.
