Five students have lost their lives to suspected diphtheria in Jamaare Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, the Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BSPHCDA), made this revelation during a press briefing in Bauchi.
According to Dr. Mohammed, 28 samples were collected from Jammare, out of which two were confirmed to be cases of diphtheria. In response to the alarming situation, the agency has swiftly initiated measures to prevent any potential further spread of the disease.
Mohammed described the death of the students as unfortunate, saying laboratory tests would confirm if they died of Diphtheria.
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Mohammed said vaccination would be given to prevent the disease, “We need to vaccinate children at six weeks and the good news is that the vaccination is free.”
He further disclosed that all schools in the affected local government area had been closed as a precautionary measure to curtail any possible spread of the disease.
Mohammed said any school in any part of the state where any case of diphtheria is confirmed would be closed down.
He noted that diphtheria is a serious infection but vaccine-preventable disease caused by bacteria and the common symptoms are sore throat, difficulty breathing, swollen glands in the neck, fever and chill among others.
