Osun activates emergency response centre as six-year-old dies of diphtheria
Following the death of a six year old who died of diphtheria, Osun state government has ordered the immediate activation of the emergency response centre to curb the spread .
This is contained in statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson Rasheed Olawale in Osogbo the state capital.
Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes, skin of an individual.
According to the statement, the six-year-old who died in Osogbo developed symptoms of diphtheria on 25 June and died of the infection on 7 July.
The statement further said that as a matter of urgency, the confirmed case at Osogbo will be immediately followed up with contact tracing to ascertain status of those who had been in contact with the victim.
The state government noted that they are in touch with the National Centre for Disease Control for the exchange of information and technical support assuring residents that efforts is on to nip in the bud any widespread of the outbreak.
It would be recalled that The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) recently 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.
