The death toll from the outbreak of Diphtheria in Plateau State has increased to 27 while suspected cases have reached 303.
State Epidemiologist, Dr Maren Damulak, said this when dealing with newsmen in Jos, the state capital today.
This is according to the state administration which claimed it is making steps to contain the outbreak of the disease, says Daily Trust.
He said most of the suspected cases were registered in Jos North LGA, with Rikkos village being one of the most hit regions.
“We have raised the cases from 149 to 303 today. The death toll has grown from 23 to 27 as well. The disease is more prevalent in Jos North. “99 % of the cases are in Jos North.”
Most of the people impacted were those who did not take diphtheria immunisation. “We have little cases from other LGAs apart from Jos North. A large number of the affected are children,” Damulak stated.
Last week, the state’s Jos North Local Government Area had ordered the temporary closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools following the detection of suspected cases in Jos North, Jos South, Bassa and Wase Local Government Areas.
The government said the action was intended at curbing transmission among kids and school workers while health authorities beef up surveillance and response measures.
Our correspondent reports that some victims are currently undergoing treated at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH and Plateau State Specialist Hospital, PSSH where isolation facilities have been given.
The local government council in Jos North has added motorbikes and other logistics to improve contact tracing, field surveillance and community outreach.
On Monday, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang had ordered quick mobilisation of medications and other medical commodities to health facilities to fight the sickness.
“Government intervention has already begun at JUTH and PSSH,” said the Director-General of Plateau State Drug and Medical Commodity Management Agency, PSDMA, Pharmacist Kim Jerry Bot.
The Bot stated the state government swung into action after the news of the outbreak, and that steps were underway to extend the support to other impacted health facilities.
Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of Jos North Local Government Council, Barrister John Kyohroh Christopher, today appealed to residents to give priority to personal and environmental hygiene to help contain the spread of the disease.
Christopher made the remarks during an impromptu survey of the affected villages and visit to some suspected patients undergoing treatment at the Primary Healthcare Clinic, Abba Na Shehu Ward.
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