It, therefore, urged Nigerians, especially people living in Sokoto, to take preventive measures against the virus.

The NCDC had on Saturday confirmed the outbreak of dengue fever in Sokoto State.

“Available data shows that prevention and control of dengue virus infection depend on vector control. There is no specific treatment for dengue, however, early detection and prompt initiation of supportive treatment have been shown to significantly reduce death,” the NCDC said on its website.

Dengue fever is a viral infection caused by the dengue virus and transmitted to humans through the infected mosquito’s bite. Human-to-human transmission of the virus has not been established.

The public health institute said most people with dengue fever have mild or no symptoms and will get better in one to two weeks.

“Rarely, dengue can be severe and lead to death. If symptoms occur, they usually begin four to 10 days after infection and last for two to seven days. Symptoms may include high fever (40°C/104°F), severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, and rash. Individuals who are infected for the second time are at greater risk of severe dengue fever,” it added.

This is even as the death toll has hit 40 in the country.

The NCDC also said the suspected cases in the country are now 523 from five states – Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Lagos, and Osun states.

The Lead of the Diphtheria/Pertussis Technical Working Group in the NCDC, Dr Bola Lawal revealed this at a webinar titled ‘Diphtheria Outbreak in Nigeria: A Case of Re-Emergence or Improved Surveillance,’ monitored by our correspondent on Monday.

Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes, skin of an individual. Diphtheria spreads easily between people through direct contact with infected people droplets from coughing or sneezing, and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.

Dr Lawal said the NCDC was notified of suspected diphtheria outbreaks from Kano state and Lagos state and the rapid response team was deployed to the states on December 12, 2022, where the outbreak was confirmed in the states.

He noted that the agency is currently supporting the response activities in Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Osun, Yobe, and other states.

Giving a breakdown of the epidemiological situation, he said “Kano state has recorded 396 suspected cases with 211 confirmed cases, Yobe state has recorded 78 suspected cases with two confirmed cases; Katsina has 34 suspected cases but no confirmed case yet; Lagos state has recorded 14 suspected cases and two confirmed cases; Osun state has one confirmed case so far.

“We have also recorded 40 deaths with a case fatality rate of 18.5 per cent.

“Of the 216 confirmed cases, 184 (85.2 per cent) were aged two to 14 years from both sexes.”

He added that 40 deaths were recorded in Kano State (38) and Lagos State (two).

On the vaccination status, he said of the 216 confirmed cases, 27  were fully vaccinated, 84 were unvaccinated and 20 were partly vaccinated.

The expert said diphtheria is very much in the country with sub-optimal coverage for the pentavalent vaccine and the burden of diphtheria is under-reported due to poor surveillance and limited capacity for laboratory confirmation.

“For effective control of diphtheria, there must be a high index of suspicion among health care workers, strong laboratory capacity, timely access to diphtheria antitoxin and vaccination against diphtheria.”

In his remarks, the Director General of the NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa said the fight against disease outbreaks in the country is a joint effort involving everyone.

“Surveillance is everybody’s responsibility, it is not just enough to see. If you see something suspicious, report it to your local government, report to NCDC and then they can investigate.

“The idea is that it allows us to pick up soon after it occurs and provide more time to respond so that we can save lives and reduce suffering and protect our health workers from both known and unknown dangerous pathogens,” Adetifa said.

This is even as the centre said it was monitoring the situation in Yobe and Osun states where cases were being picked up.

Here are the 10 things you need to know about diphtheria disease:

1. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes, skin of an individual.

2. Diphtheria spreads easily between people through direct contact with infected people droplets from coughing or sneezing, and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.

3 . People most at risk include children and adults who have not received any dose of the pentavalent vaccine, people who live in areas with poor sanitation, people who live in a crowded environment, and healthcare workers exposed to suspected or confirmed cases of the disease.

4. The onset of signs of the disease usually starts after two to 10 days of exposure to the bacteria.

5. Symptoms of diphtheria include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes (conjunctivitis), and neck swelling. In severe cases, a thick grey or white patch appears on the tonsils and/or at the back of the throat associated with difficulty breathing.

6. Complications from diphtheria include airway blockage, damage to the heart muscle, nerve damage, and kidney failure. However, for some people, respiratory diphtheria can lead to death.

7. To prevent it, the Nigeria childhood immunisation schedule recommends three doses of pentavalent vaccine (diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine) for children in the sixth, 10th, and 14th week of life.

8. Diphtheria treatment involves using diphtheria antitoxin to stop the bacteria toxin from damaging the body and using antibiotics to kill and get rid of the bacteria. The treatment usually lasts for two to three weeks.

9. Poor immunisation coverage can lead to a resurgence of the disease. Therefore, parents must ensure that their children are fully vaccinated against diphtheria with three doses of the pentavalent vaccine as recommended in the childhood immunisation schedule.

10. Individuals with signs and symptoms suggestive of diphtheria should isolate themselves and notify the Local Government Area authorities, state disease surveillance officer, or the NCDC through our toll-free line (6232).

The Lassa fever outbreak has killed 173 people in the country so far this year.

The Situation Report for week 40 obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday showed that the cases were reported in 26 states and 104 local government areas.

The NCDC noted that of all the confirmed cases, 71 per cent are from Ondo (33 per cent), Edo (25 per cent), and Bauchi (13 per cent) States.

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever and an acute viral illness. This zoonotic disease has a high morbidity and mortality rate, as well as economic, health and security implications.

The report read in part, “In week 40, the number of new confirmed cases is the same as reported in week 39, 2022 to four cases. These were reported from Ondo, Bauchi and Ekiti States.

“Cumulatively from week one to week 40, 2022, 173 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate of 18.5 per cent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2021 (23.1 per cent).

In total for 2022, 26 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 104 Local Government Areas.

“Of all confirmed cases, 71 per cent are from Ondo (33 per cent), Edo (25 per cent), and Bauchi (13 per cent) States.

“The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (Range: 0 to 90 years, Median Age: 30 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8.

“The number of suspected cases has increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2021.

“No new Healthcare worker affected in the reporting week 40.

“National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate the response activities at all levels.”