Diphtheria: Nigeria Records Over 11,587 Suspected Cases

The Federal Government has recorded 11,587 suspected cases of diphtheria in the country with 7,202 confirmed cases from 105 local government areas (LGAs) in 18 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

This was disclosed on Monday in an update on the diphtheria outbreak published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

Diphtheria is a dangerous infection caused by a toxin-producing bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It is a vaccine-preventable disease that is protected by one of the vaccines frequently offered as part of Nigeria’s pediatric immunisation programme.