Plateau has reported 469 suspected cases of diphtheria, with 31 deaths, while 160,000 children have been vaccinated against the disease, according to the state government on Thursday in Jos.
Dr. Nicholas Ba’amlong, Plateau Commissioner for Health, said this on Thursday in Jos at a news conference, saying the government had intensified measures to contain the disease across Plateau statewide.
Ba’amlong said the state began recording children with symptoms suggestive of diphtheria at the beginning of 2026, adding that the situation became a public health concern in August during the period.
He said the government had intensified sensitisation and vaccination campaigns in affected communities across the state to contain the spread of the disease and protect vulnerable children effectively across Plateau communities.
The commissioner said 17 patients were currently receiving treatment at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Plateau Specialist Hospital, where isolation centres had been established for suspected cases within the state.
He said 10 Local Government Areas in Plateau had been affected by diphtheria, namely Jos North, Jos South, Wase, Barkin Ladi, Mangu, Kanam, Pankshin, Shendam, Bassa and Mikang in the state.
Ba’amlong said Jos North recorded the highest number of cases among the affected local government areas, while the state continued surveillance and response activities to contain transmission in affected communities statewide.
Ba’amlong said medications had been distributed to the two hospitals to support treatment of affected patients and strengthen clinical management of suspected diphtheria cases across the affected areas in Plateau.
The commissioner said the prevalence of the disease was on the decline, indicating that intensified vaccination, surveillance and community sensitisation efforts were beginning to produce positive results across Plateau communities statewide.
He further said the state had alerted the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and requested additional diphtheria vaccines to strengthen ongoing immunisation activities across affected communities during the response.
Ba’amlong identified mild fever, sore throat, cough, difficulty in swallowing, weakness and the presence of a plaque at the back of the throat as symptoms of diphtheria among suspected patients statewide.
The commissioner urged parents to ensure that their children received and completed routine immunisation, noting that some affected children had either not been vaccinated or had incomplete vaccination across the state.
Ba’amlong said the government had engaged traditional, religious and community leaders to encourage residents to embrace immunisation and ensure effective dissemination of accurate information to the public across affected communities statewide.
The commissioner urged residents to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene and avoid overcrowding as part of measures to prevent further transmission of the disease in communities across affected areas statewide.
He further advised residents to report suspected cases to the state epidemiologist on 08067735845 for prompt investigation, treatment, contact tracing and other appropriate public health interventions across the state as appropriate.(NAN)
