The Plateau State Government has confirmed that the death toll from the ongoing diphtheria outbreak has risen to 27, with suspected cases increasing to 303 across the state.
The state epidemiologist, Dr Maren Damulak, disclosed the latest figures on Wednesday while briefing journalists in Jos, the state capital.
According to Damulak, suspected cases have more than doubled from 149 to 303, while fatalities increased from 23 to 27. She said Jos North Local Government Area accounts for about 99 per cent of the reported cases, with Rikkos community among the worst affected areas.
“Most of the people that were affected were those that did not take diphtheria vaccine,” Damulak said, noting that children make up a significant proportion of those infected.
She added that although Jos North remains the epicentre of the outbreak, a smaller number of cases have also been identified in other local government areas.
Schools Shut as Health Authorities Respond
The state government had last Sunday ordered the temporary closure of all primary and secondary schools following the detection of suspected diphtheria cases in Jos North, Jos South, Bassa and Wase local government areas.
The government said the decision was intended to limit transmission among pupils, students and school workers while strengthening disease surveillance and response efforts.
Some suspected patients are currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Plateau State Specialist Hospital (PSSH), where isolation facilities have been made available.
In Jos North, the local government council has also deployed additional logistics, including motorcycles, to support contact tracing, field surveillance and community sensitisation.
Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang had earlier directed the immediate distribution of drugs and other essential medical supplies to health facilities responding to the outbreak.
The Director-General of the Plateau State Drug and Medical Commodity Management Agency, Pharmacist Kim Jerry Bot, said government intervention was already ongoing at JUTH and PSSH, with plans to extend support to other affected facilities.
Council Steps Up Community Response
Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of Jos North Local Government Council, Barrister John Kyohroh Christopher, has urged residents to take personal and environmental hygiene seriously to help prevent further spread of the disease.
Christopher made the appeal during an assessment visit to affected communities and health facilities, including the Primary Healthcare Clinic in Abba Na Shehu Ward.
He said the visit was aimed at getting a firsthand assessment of the outbreak, encouraging affected residents and ensuring that government assistance reached those in need.
The council chairman assured residents that the local government, in partnership with the Plateau State Government and health partners, was taking proactive measures to contain the outbreak.
The development comes amid reports of diphtheria-related deaths in Katsina and Kano states, as health authorities across the affected areas intensify efforts to curb the spread of the infectious disease.
