The recent report that Nigeria recorded 798 cases of diphtheria and 80 deaths across eight states and 33 local government areas has underscored the need to check further spread of the child-killer disease. It has also been reported that Nigeria has recorded its first case of anthrax disease in Suleja, Niger State. The health authorities should equally put measures in place to halt the spread of the zoonotic disease.
According to the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, since the first reported confirmed case of diphtheria in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the death toll has risen to 80, with a case-fatality ratio of 10 per cent as of June 30, 2023. Since July 3, 2023, the FCT has recorded only one confirmed case, and seven suspected cases testing negative while other results are being awaited.
The NCDC further revealed that cases of diphtheria have been reported in Kano, Lagos, Yobe, Katsina, Cross River, Kaduna, Osun states and the FCT since December 2022. In all, Kano State has recorded the highest number of cases put at 782. About 71.1 per cent of the 798 confirmed cases occurred in children aged 2 to 14 years. According to experts, diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection that usually affects the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. The disease can be treated with medications.
But in advanced stages, diphtheria can damage the heart, kidneys and the nervous system. And without treatment, diphtheria can be deadly, especially in children. The symptoms of the disease include a thick, gray membrane covering the throat and tonsils, swollen glands or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, difficulty breathing or rapid breathing, nasal discharge, fever and chills and tiredness. Without treatment, diphtheria can be fatal for up to 50 percent of those infected. However, the threat of a person contracting the disease can be significantly reduced with vaccinations.
We also urge the health authorities to intensify both emergency and routine immunization against the disease to halt its spread. Government should provide free medical treatment for those already down with the condition. In a related development, the federal government should act quickly to curb the spread of anthrax disease, which was recently confirmed in Niger State.The first outbreak of the disease was confirmed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. According to the Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Columba Vakuru, the first case was in a multi-species animal farm comprising cattle, sheep and goats at Gajiri, in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State. Some of the animals in the farm exhibited symptoms of the disease, which include the oozing of blood from their anus, nose, eyes and ears. He also stated that the federal government had raised the alarm over the disease following its outbreak in northern Ghana, some weeks ago.
Anthrax is caused by a spore-forming bacterium, Baccillus anthracis, which mainly affects animals. However, it can affect humans, who came in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products or those who inhale spores. Anthrax affects mainly animals, including cattle, sheep and goats. It can occur in three forms, the cutaneous anthrax, inhalational anthrax and gastro intestinal anthrax. The symptoms of the disease, which depend on the mode of infection, range from a skin ulcer with a dark scab to difficulty in breathing.
While the disease can be treated with antibiotics for most infections, inhaled anthrax may prove harder to treat and can be fatal. It is laudable that the federal government has planned a nationwide vaccination of animals, especially cattle, sheep and goats, as part of measures to curtail its spread.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have been enjoined to desist from the consumption of animal hides, smoked meat and bush meat, the likely sources of the lethal disease. The government equally urged all livestock owners to report to the health authorities any suspicious illness or deaths in their animals. Let the health authorities enlighten Nigerians on the two diseases, the symptoms, the preventive measures, and treatment options.