The Federal Capital Territory has recorded two deaths from diphtheria following cases in the nation’s capital.
FCT health authorities said five of 15 suspected cases investigated so far have tested positive for the bacterial infection. Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environmental Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, disclosed the figures during a community sensitisation event in Karshi.
Fasawe said the FCT Administration had investigated 15 suspected cases as of last week. Five were confirmed to have diphtheria, resulting in two deaths. She said several other patients had been successfully treated and discharged. The health official urged residents not to panic, saying the FCTA had activated measures to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.
Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection that mainly affects the nose and throat. It can also affect the skin in some cases. Fasawe said early symptoms may include fever, cough and catarrh. The illness can later cause neck swelling and severe difficulty breathing. She warned residents against self-medication and attempting to remove the thick membrane that can form at the back of an infected person’s throat.
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Fasawe recalled an incident in which a child reportedly bled to death after a local barber attempted to cut the membrane. She urged residents to report suspected cases immediately to public health authorities.
Preventive Actions in Motion
The FCTA has deployed a multidisciplinary Incident Management Team to Karshi and surrounding rural and urban communities. The team is conducting contact tracing, providing preventive antibiotics and intensifying public awareness campaigns. The sensitisation is being delivered in local languages, including Hausa and Gbagyi.
Karshi chief Ismaila Mohammed, represented by district head Alhaji Ahmed Doka, clarified that the two reported deaths did not occur in Karshi town. He said the deaths occurred in a neighbouring border settlement along Nasarawa State.
Doka welcomed the government’s response and pledged the support of traditional and religious leaders. He urged residents to take sick children to designated health facilities rather than relying on unverified local remedies.
