State urges residents to maintain hygiene during festive periods
Lagos State Government said it recorded 10 confirmed cases of diphtheria between January 1 and March 27, 2025, leading health authorities to intensify efforts to curb the outbreak.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who gave the hint, at the weekend, said that the number of suspected cases fluctuated over the last three months, with some days recording as many as 15 cases and others as few as one.
Abayomi, while providing an update on the outbreak, revealed that laboratory tests conducted on 76 samples confirmed 10 positive cases, while 63 samples returned negative results, saying: “Another three samples collected on March 26 are still pending results.”
He also highlighted the state’s ongoing vaccination efforts, which target close contacts of index cases, suspected patients, and frontline health workers, noting that about 36,310 individuals had been vaccinated, including 7,473 individuals aged nine to 17 years and 28,837 of age 18 and above.
He emphasised that in the interest of public safety, all confirmed cases are mandated to remain on admission for treatment, urging the public to cooperate with the health authorities on measures to prevent further transmission of the disease.
He said that as Lagos residents prepare for Eid-el-Fitr, Easter celebrations, and the second-term school vacation, they should adhere to precautionary measures, as well as maintain high levels of hygiene, wash hands regularly, use sanitisers, and avoid crowded places.
He, however, emphasised the need for prompt reporting of symptoms, such as cough, runny nose, fever, sore throat, red eyes, neck swelling, and thick grey or white patches on the throat.
However, the commissioner, while commending the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his prompt and strategic intervention, also acknowledged the support of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and UNICEF in providing technical assistance and resources to tackle the outbreak.
He assured residents that the state government, in collaboration with its partners, was intensifying surveillance, treatment, and prevention efforts.
