The Osun State Government has ordered the immediate activation of the emergency response centre to curb the spread of Diphtheria following the death of a six-year-old.
Governor Ademola Adeleke gave the directive in a statement on Monday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, after receiving a situation report from the state’s Ministry of Health.
Mr Rasheed noted in the statement that the six-year-old who died in Osogbo developed symptoms of diphtheria on 25 June and died of the infection on 7 July.
He noted that another suspected case was said to be under testing, adding that the governor directed the contact tracing and immediate treatment of the infected residents, according to reports.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) on Friday announced an outbreak of diphtheria in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following the first case and death of a four-year-old child in June.
NCDC also confirmed 798 diphtheria cases and 80 deaths from 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in eight states, including the FCT.
The spokesperson to Mr Adeleke emphasised in the statement that the state emergency response centre be reactivated urgently.
Mr Rasheed noted that “the confirmed case at Osogbo is to be immediately followed up with contact tracing to ascertain the status of those who had been in contact with the victim”, adding that emergency treatment must be available to the infected.
