By Gbenga Ojo, Lagos
The Lagos State Government has confirmed the death of an index case of diphtheria while 34 closed contacts of the deceased have been placed on observation.
The outbreak was reported at King’s College, Victoria Island Annexe, where the deceased happened to be a student.
The state commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi who confirmed the outbreak said, 14 out of the 34 have shown symptoms of the disease, assuring the state government has activated an Emergency Response Committee even as it planned to commence mass vaccination of the school children immediately.
He said, the index case, a 12-year-old boy, presented with a sore throat and fever to the health facilities of the school on February 22 and was promptly referred and admitted to the paediatric emergency ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, where he was promptly admitted and administered appropriate antibiotics and a full dose of diphtheria and toxoid serum.
Abayomi added that despite the timely intervention, the boy succumbed to progressive and irreversible inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) on the 6th of March. Myocarditis is a severe and recognized complication of the bacterial infection caused by the toxin.
The Commissioner further revealed that the state government, in collaboration with Federal health agencies, is set to launch a targeted vaccination campaign for all consented students of the school inclusive of all healthcare providers, to strengthen immunity against the deadly infection.