Plateau State Government Shuts Down Schools Over Diphtheria Outbreak
The Plateau State government in Nigeria has ordered the closure of all public and private schools to curb a diphtheria outbreak. Health officials confirmed 23 deaths and multiple hospitalizations, prompting the state to take emergency measures to protect students.
Why it matters
The rapid spread of a fatal, vaccine-preventable disease in a densely populated region highlights critical gaps in public health infrastructure and immunization coverage.
The closure comes days after health officials confirmed the death of some residents of Jos North from suspected diphtheria complications.
The Plateau State government has ordered the temporary closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools over outbreak of diphtheria.
The state government in a release on Saturday said the decision was meant to prevent the students from being infected by the disease.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, had on Tuesday disclosed that about 23 persons died from the disease, adding that the state government had intensified efforts to contain the spread of the highly infectious disease.
Baamlong said nine patients had been hospitalised at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, and the Plateau Specialist Hospital.
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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