Zamfara State has recorded 367 confirmed cases of diphtheria, with 320 patients treated and discharged.
The Director of Public Health in the state Ministry of Health, Dr Yusuf Haske, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Gusau on the diphtheria situation.
Dr Haske said laboratory tests on samples from suspected patients confirmed the presence of the diphtheria-causing organism, with further confirmation from the National Reference Centre in Abuja.
Following the confirmation, the state government declared an outbreak and activated the Incident Management System to coordinate the response.
He said rapid response teams had been deployed across the state’s 14 local government areas, while general hospitals have established isolation centres for treatment. Gusau, which recorded the highest number of cases, has about four treatment centres.
Dr Haske said more than 320 patients had been treated and discharged, while 44 deaths had been recorded, with continued community transmission contributing to the spread.
He added that children aged six to ten years were among the most affected, prompting health authorities to advise the Ministry of Education on measures to contain the outbreak.
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The advice contributed to the decision to delay school resumption in the state by two weeks to allow for intensified surveillance, case management, community engagement and health education.
Dr Haske urged residents to remain vigilant and seek immediate medical attention if they notice symptoms associated with diphtheria.
He added that disease notification officers across the 14 local government areas were working to identify suspected cases and ensure a timely response.
