Diphtheria cases surge in Guinea in 2024
The diphtheria outbreak that began in the West African country of Guinea last July 2023, has continued into 2024 with a vengeance.
During the first five weeks of 2024 (January 1 to February 4), Guinea officials reported 1,184 suspected cases and five deaths, averaging 237 suspected cases per week during this period.
Although surveillance has improved, the persistent gradual rise in cases suggests the presence of underlying factors exacerbating the situation, the World Health Organization notes.
Since the outbreak began last July, Guinea has reported 3,445 suspected cases of diphtheria, including 3,207 confirmed cases and 83 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 2.4% among suspected cases.
In 2023, a total of 27,346 cases (13,879 confirmed, 13,467 suspected) were reported from six African Union Member States—Algeria, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and South Africa.
Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria that make a toxin. The toxin can cause people to get very sick. Diphtheria bacteria spread from person to person through respiratory droplets, like from coughing or sneezing. People can also get sick from touching open sores or ulcers of people sick with diphtheria.
When the bacteria get into the respiratory system they can cause sore throat, mild fever, and swollen glands in the neck. The bacteria make a toxin that kills healthy tissues in the respiratory system and can make it difficult to breathe and swallow. The toxin can also cause heart, nerve, and kidney problems if it enters the bloodstream. Skin infections caused by C. diphtheriae typically consist of shallow ulcers (sores) and do not result in severe disease.
For some people, respiratory diphtheria can lead to death. Even with treatment, about 1 in 10 patients with respiratory diphtheria die. Without treatment, up to half of patients can die from the disease.
If you are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated against diphtheria and may have been exposed, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible.
It is recommended that everyone 2 months and older get vaccinated to protect against diphtheria.