The Kano state government has confirmed the outbreak of Diphtheria disease in thirteen Local Government Areas of the state.
The state commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa stated this during a press conference on Diphtheria and Lassa fever outbreaks in the state.
According to Tsanyawa, the state has recorded so far 100 suspected cases, eight confirmed, and three deaths from 13 local government areas in the state.
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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 respectively, Of the 100 suspected cases, eight were confirmed, while waiting more results. We have lost 3 among 8 confirmed and 22 among other suspected cases.”
He added that the Epidemiology unit of the ministry was notified by Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital of the suspected cases of Diphtheria, and the ministry mobilized its team to commence an investigation.
Tsanyawa continued by saying that currently, twenty-seven patients are on admission receiving treatment while forty-one have been managed and discharged successfully.
He also said on the 10th of January, the Public Health Emergency operation center received a report of suspected case of Lassa fever from Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, the team was deployed to investigate, and a sample was taken for laboratory test 3 days later the result turned positive for Lassa fever.
He again said:
“10 samples were taken from the high-risk contacts of the index case, 3 become positive making a total of 4 cases currently managed at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital isolation center.”
The commissioner also said the Kano state government activated the Kwanar Dawaki isolation center for isolating the Lassa fever cases, adding that staff of ‘yargaya have been trained and transferred to the isolation center where drugs and consumables were propositioned and were fully functional.
However, Tsanyawa pointed out that the state ministry for health through the primary health care management board was planning to conduct a routine immunization intensification campaign to reach out to all illegible children in the affected local government areas from the Diphtheria case.
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