Diphtheria outbreak hits Kano school with 12 confirmed cases
Health authorities in Kano State, Nigeria, have confirmed 12 cases of diphtheria at a boarding school following the testing of 313 students. Officials are calling for an urgent mass vaccination campaign to prevent further spread among the school's 2,000 students.
Why it matters
The outbreak highlights critical public health infrastructure challenges and the need for vaccine availability in regional Nigerian schools.
Health authorities in Kano State have confirmed 12 cases of diphtheria at First Lady’s College, Mariri, in Kumbotso Local Government Area.The outbreak was detected at the boarding school, which has more than 2,000 students, prompting the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC, to launch an emergency response.A school staff member, who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity on Friday, said health officials began responding to the situation on Wednesday after receiving a report about the outbreak.The source disclosed that one student who developed severe symptoms had been taken to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, IDH, Kano, while other affected students were being treated within the school.“They came with a Rapid Response Team, RRT, supported by officials from Kumbotso, Tarauni and Nassarawa local government areas,” the source said.The Director-General of KNCDC, Prof.
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