An Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) has already been activated, in order to control the spread and avoid unnecessary deaths
A student who was attending King’s College Lagos (KCL) Junior Secondary institution (JSS) has passed away as a result of an outbreak of diphtheria that occurred at the school.
In a statement to a journalist on Monday morning, Peter Oluwaleye, the Chairperson of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), stated that the youngster, whose identity he did not reveal, had passed away at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) the previous week.
As a result of the diphtheria epidemic that occurred at school, the Lagos State Government has officially acknowledged the death of the index case. At the same time, it has reported that 34 individuals who were close to the deceased student have been placed under monitoring.
It was also reported by the state government that 14 of the 34 individuals have displayed indications of the sickness. While this was going on, the state administration decided to activate an Emergency Response Committee at the same time that it was planning to begin the process of mass vaccination of schoolchildren in the school today.
Prof. Akin Abayomi, the state commissioner for Health, issued a press statement in which he disclosed these details. He urged the people of Lagos to be calm and reassured them that there was no significant reason for concern.
In order to control the spread and avoid unnecessary deaths, he said, an Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) has already been activated.
The index case, a 12-year-old boy, was admitted to the paediatric emergency ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) on February 22 after presenting with a fever and sore throat at the school’s health facilities, according to Abayomi.There, he was given the necessary antibiotics and a full dose of diphtheria and toxoid serum.
“Despite the timely intervention, the boy succumbed to progressive and irreversible inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) on the 6th of March. Myocarditis is a severe and recognized complication of the bacterial infection caused by the toxin.
“Of these, 14 have developed symptoms consistent with diphtheria. In response, the affected students were transported to the Children’s Emergency Unit at LUTH, where they were screened by health professionals.
“Of the 14 that were examined,12 were determined to have developed early signs of Diphtheria and were admitted to receive antibiotics and the Diphtheria Ant toxoid Serum. No further cases have developed so far, and all 14 symptomatic students are recovering.”
During their initial assessment of King’s College Annexe, health officials found several locations that require improvement in terms of infection prevention and control (IPC).
Abayomi highlighted that this procedure will be initiated without delay. The state government and federal health agencies are teaming up to immunise all consenting students, including those at the Main School in Igbosere and the annexe on Victoria Island, as well as all healthcare providers, in an effort to bolster immunity to the fatal infection. We might see this grow across the state.
Global health organisations including the WHO, NCDC, and NPHCDA have been informed about the epidemic and are working together with Lagos State to devise a suitable response. As a part of the emergency response, the city of Lagos will strategically distribute its nearly half a million doses of diphtheria vaccination to areas that are particularly at risk.
IREPORT247NEW on February 9 reported that the country is still dealing with a significant diphtheria outbreak, with 41,336 suspected cases reported across 37 states between Epidemiological Week 19 of 2022 and Epidemiological Week 4 of 2025.
The outbreak is concentrated in a few states, with Kano leading with 23,784 suspected cases, followed by Yobe (5,302), Katsina (3,708), Bauchi (3,066), Borno (2,902), Kaduna (777), and Jigawa (364), accounting for 96.5% of all suspected cases.
The significant effect on younger populations is demonstrated by the fact that 63.9% (15,845) of the confirmed cases included children between the ages of one and fourteen.
- DIPHTHERIA
- The infectious disease diphtheria is brought on by germs that produce toxins. When someone who is infected coughs or sneezes, it can spread from person to person.
- Some people can spread the bacterium to others even if they do not exhibit symptoms of the sickness. While serious illness, complications, and death are possible outcomes, others will experience minor disease.
- Although it can afflict anyone, unvaccinated children were more likely to contract diphtheria.
- The toxin from diphtheria damages the respiratory system and can spread to other parts of the body. Frequent signs and symptoms include fever, sore throat, and glandular swelling in the neck.
- VACCINE
- Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with diphtheria or spreading it to other people. The vaccine is safe and helps your body fight off the infection.
- The majority of cases are in children, thus the NCDC stressed the need of immunization in combating the outbreak.
- The organization has implemented quick response programs, enhanced surveillance, and intensified public health campaigns, particularly in the states most affected.
- It emphasized that in order to stop the disease’s high death rate and stop it from spreading further, the vaccination gap must be closed.
- Read more https://ireport247news.com/2025/02/09/diphtheria-outbreak-nigeria-reports-41000-cases/