Nigeria diphtheria outbreak: Latest numbers, Travel advisory
Nigeria diphtheria outbreak: Latest numbers, Travel advisory
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their travel notice (Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions) recently for the West African country of Nigeria due to a large diphtheria outbreak.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), as of September 24th, 2023, there have been 11,587 reported suspected cases out of which 7,202 were confirmed cases from 105 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in (18) States including the FCT.
Most (6,185) of the confirmed cases were recorded in Kano. Other States with cases are Yobe (640), Katsina (213), Borno (95), Kaduna (16), Jigawa (14), Bauchi (8), Lagos (8), FCT (5), Gombe (5), Osun (3), Sokoto (3), Niger (2), Cross River (1), Enugu (1), Imo (1), Nasarawa (1) and Zamfara (1).
The majority (5,299 [73.6%]) of the confirmed cases occurred among children aged 1 – 14 years with those aged 5-14 years bearing most of the brunt of the disease. So far, a total of 453 deaths have occurred in confirmed cases giving a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.3%.
Health officials in Nigeria reported that 80 percent of confirmed cases in the ongoing outbreak are unvaccinated.
US health officials advise travelers to Nigeria:
Vaccination against diphtheria is essential to protect against disease. If you are traveling to an affected area, you should be up to date with your diphtheria vaccines. Before travel, discuss the need for a booster dose with your healthcare professional.
Avoid contact with persons with symptoms of diphtheria, such as fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, change in voice, shortness of breath, weakness, or fatigue.
Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Avoid touching the wounds of others.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Wash your hands often with soap and water.
If you feel sick during travel, seek medical care immediately. If you are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated against diphtheria and become sick after possible exposure to someone with diphtheria, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible.