By The Axiom Daily

JOS, NIGERIA — A severe public health crisis has unfolded in Plateau State following a rapid escalation of a deadly diphtheria outbreak. State health authorities have confirmed 31 fatalities and 469 suspected infections spread across 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Ba’amlong, officially disclosed the sobering statistics during a press conference in Jos. He pinpointed Jos North as the primary epicenter of the disease transmission, accounting for a massive 370 of the reported cases.

Although sporadic cases were initially identified earlier in the year, the epidemic rapidly gained momentum in August. In response, state officials swiftly activated an emergency Incident Management System to coordinate rapid interventions and stem further transmission.

Health workers are executing aggressive containment strategies, including house-to-house case searching and active contact tracing. To safeguard educational institutions, primary and secondary school teachers in Jos North were given specialized training to identify early symptoms among students.

To curb spread among children, health agencies launched an extensive immunization drive. Over 160,000 children have received diphtheria-tetanus vaccines, while more than 30,000 infants received Pentavalent doses across high-risk communities.

Medical infrastructure is being stretched to accommodate patients needing critical care. Specialized isolation centers were established at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, where 17 severely ill patients are actively receiving specialized medical treatment.

Moving forward, health officials are collaborating with traditional rulers and religious figures to dismantle vaccine hesitancy in rural areas. State authorities have also requested additional vaccine allocations from federal agencies in Abuja to replenish thinned stockpiles.