BREAKING: Diphtheria outbreak in Kano: records 100 suspected cases, 8 confirmed, 3 Dead from 13 LGAs.

BREAKING: Diphtheria outbreak in Kano: records 100 suspected cases, 8 confirmed, 3 Dead from 13 LGAs.

By Oloyede Emmanuel
 

The Kano state government on Sunday confirmed the outbreak of Diphtheria disease after recordimg 100 suspected cases with eight confirmed and three dead from 13 local government areas in the state.

The state commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, disclosed this during a press conference on Diphtheria and Lassa fever outbreaks in the state.

He said: "As  at 20th of January 2023 we we have recorded 100 suspected cases from 13 local government areas which are Ungogo, Nassarawa, Bichi, Dala, Dawakin Tofa, Dawakin Kudu, Fagge, Gwale, Kano Municipal, Kumbotso, Rano, and Gwarzo.  Of the 100 suspected cases, eight were confirmed, while awaiting more results. We have lost 3 among 8 confirmed and 22 among other suspected cases.” 

The   Epidemiology unit of the ministry was notified by Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital of the suspected cases of Diphtheria, the ministry mobilized it’s team to commence investigation.

Dr. Tsanyawa further disclosed that currently 27 patients are on admission receiving treatment while 41 have been managed and discharged.

He also stated that on the 10th January, the Public Health Emergency Operation Center received a report of suspected case of Lassa fever from Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, a team was deployed to investigate and samples werr taken for laboratory test;. three days later the result turned positive for Lassa fever.

“10 samples were taken from the high-risk contacts of the index case, three  became positive, making a total of four cases currently managed at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital isolation center,” Dr. Tsanyawa said.

He added that  the Kano state government activated Kwanar Dawaki isolation center for isolating the Lassa fever cases, adding that staff of ‘yargaya had been trained and transferred to the isolation center where drugs and consumables were propositioned and is fully functional.

He revealed that the state Ministry of Health, through the Primary Health Care Management Board, was planning to conduct a routine immunization intensification campaign to reach out to all eligible for children in the affected local government areas from Diphtheria case.