EXPLAINER: What you need to know about Diphtheria

Recently, the Nigerian government confirmed the outbreak of diphtheria in parts of the country. The disease is a highly contagious infection caused by a bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat and sometimes, skin of an individual.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported that 38 people, mostly children, have lost their lives from the disease, and there are 123 clinically suspected cases. In partnership with state ministries of health, NCDC said it initiated an “emergency response to the outbreak and is monitoring” the situation in four states (Lagos, Kano, Osun and Yobe).

Worldwide, the incidence of diphtheria has reduced dramatically in the past five decades, thanks to widespread immunisation, using a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine.