The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it has recorded the outbreak of Diphtheria, which has claimed its first victim.
FCTA Director of Public Health, Dr. Sadiq Abdul-Rahaman, disclosed this while briefing journalists on Monday in Abuja.
Diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make toxin. It can lead to difficulty breathing, heart rhythm problems, and even death.
He said the administration through its surveillance system discovered eight suspected cases, at Tunga Wajili, Deide, a boundary community between Bwari, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), and Niger state.
The Director noted that out of the eight suspected cases, four returned positive while one of the samples lost his life.
He explained that the index family were among those relocated from the Northern part of the country to Abuja, with emphasis that they were not immunized.
Abdul-Rahaman noted that the suspected cases were between the ages of 38, 4, 10, 6, 16, 7, 48, and 12.
He said with the discovery of the outbreak, FCT, is among 28 states affected by the outbreak.
The Director stressed that the administration has made available Penta-Valent vaccines for children between one year old to fourteen.
He warned that adults who have not been immunized could be affected by the outbreak.
He called on residents to take the window of the available vaccines in the 400 Primary Healthcare Centres in FCT to address the spread of the bacteria endemic disease.
Abdul-Rahaman maintained that personal and community hygiene is also a solution to stop the spread of the disease, which he said always attacks the upper respiratory organs like COVID-19.
