One dead out of eight cases as diphtheria disease hits Abuja

A four-year old boy has been confirmed dead, following the outbreak of the deadly diphtheria in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja

Already, the FCT administration has confirmed the prevalence of diphtheria in the nation’s capital.

Director of FCT Public Health Department, Sadiq Abdulrahman, confirmed that there were reported eight cases of the disease, out of which the four year old died.

He added that the disease was imported into the FCT from the neighbouring Niger state.

But he assured that the FCT public health department had taken necessary actions swung by activating its emergency response through which it collected samples for test at the National Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa as well as the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC.

Abdulrahman said the outcome of the result which came last Friday, showed one   positive result out of eight cases.

He said that the department is also collaborating with neighbouring states to eradicate further spread of the disease through border surveillance.

He called on the Fact residents to take their personal hygiene seriously.

Information from the public health department says thst the Diphtheria symptoms include fever, runny nose, and difficulty in breathing. It can be transmitted through sneezing, droplets, coughing and contact with infected persons.