Zamfara State has confirmed 367 cases of diphtheria, with 320 patients treated and discharged as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the outbreak.
The state Director of Public Health, Dr Yusuf Haske, disclosed the figures in Gusau while briefing journalists on the latest situation.
Haske said laboratory tests on samples from suspected patients confirmed the presence of the diphtheria-causing organism, with further confirmation obtained from the National Reference Centre in Abuja.
Following the confirmation, the state government declared an outbreak and activated its Incident Management System to coordinate the response.
Rapid response teams were deployed across the state’s 14 local government areas, while case-management activities were intensified.
According to the health official, all general hospitals in the state now have isolation facilities for diphtheria patients. Gusau Local Government Area, which has recorded the highest number of cases, has about four treatment centres.
Despite the recovery of more than 320 patients, the outbreak has claimed 44 lives, with health authorities attributing the continued spread partly to active community transmission.
Children aged between six and 10 years are among those most affected.
The development prompted the Ministry of Health to advise the Ministry of Education on measures to limit transmission, contributing to the state’s decision to extend school resumption by two weeks.
The additional period is expected to allow health authorities to strengthen surveillance, case management, community engagement and health education.
Haske urged residents to seek medical attention promptly when symptoms associated with diphtheria appear and to cooperate with health officials in reporting suspected cases.
Disease notification officers have also been deployed across the 14 local government areas to identify suspected cases and facilitate rapid intervention.
