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A diphtheria outbreak in the Mbutu Community of Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area in Imo State has resulted in the deaths of multiple children, leading to an immediate school closure in the region.
The precise number of fatalities has yet to be verified based on report gathered on Wednesday.
The Chairman of Aboh Mbaise LGA, Iheukwumere Alaribe, confirmed the situation in a statement released. Diphtheria, a highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae that produces toxins, mainly affects the nose and throat but can also impact the skin.
It spreads through respiratory droplets from coughs or sneezes, or through direct contact with infected individuals or contaminated surfaces. In reaction to the outbreak, local authorities have quickly worked to prevent further transmission.
Schools in Mbutu have been temporarily closed, and parents have been advised to keep their children indoors. “Diphtheria caused the deaths of the children less than a week after it emerged.
The chairman remarked that the World Health Organization (WHO), the Department of Disease Prevention and Control in the Imo State Ministry of Health, along with health workers from Aboh Mbaise LGA, are diligently investigating and containing the outbreak.
An isolation center has been set up at Mbutu Health Centre, with health personnel assigned to quarantine children potentially exposed to the disease and to provide care for impacted families,” stated Godspower Dike, the chairman's spokesperson.
The chairman also urged parents to take immediate action to vaccinate their children.
“In light of this outbreak, it is strongly recommended that parents who have not yet vaccinated their children do so promptly. Vaccinations are essential for preventing disease transmission and safeguarding our children’s health,” he emphasized.
Dike, the spokesman for the chairman, called on the public to stay calm and collaborate with health authorities.
“We encourage everyone to remain calm and cooperate with the relevant authorities as we work to manage this outbreak. Updates will be given as more information is made available,” he added.
In early May, two children in the Tukur-Tukur community of Zaria, Kaduna State, were killed by the disease.
Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable illness, and health authorities have stressed the necessity of routine immunization to protect children from preventable diseases like diphtheria. Nigeria has reported 25,812 confirmed cases of diphtheria from 42,642 suspected cases across 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and 350 local government areas, with confirmed cases spread across 184 LGAs in 26 states.
