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Nigeria

UNICEF Nigeria Humanitarian Situation Report No. 2 (Diphtheria Outbreak): 16 September-18 October 2023

Situation Report
Source
Posted
Originally published

Highlights

  • 14,482 suspected cumulative cases since the beginning of the outbreak, of which 9,486 confirmed.

  • 72 % (6,847 children) of the confirmed cases aged 1-14 years. Some 562 cumulative deaths (cumulative case fatality (CFR) 5.9 per cent).

  • Cases reported from 19 states and 128 LGAs, with 95 per cent of cases from Northwest (Kano, Katsina), and Northeast (Yobe, Bauchi and Borno) states.

  • 2,560,820 children aged 6 months to 4 years were vaccinated against diphtheria during the first round of the reactive vaccination with Pentavalent vaccines, while a total of 4,944,161 children aged from 5 to 14 years were reached with Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td) vaccines in 56 high-risk Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 7 states.

  • A national Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) study led by NCDC and supported by UNICEF and partners was finalised and is informing the adjustment of the response.

  • Funding gap of $3,85M (while $3,95M mobilised) to respond to the outbreak in 7 high-priority states over the next 6 months.

Situation in Numbers

14 million children in need of vaccination against diphteria

14,482 suspected cases (72% children 1-14 years),

562 (98% children) deaths

7,504,981 children children vaccinated against diphtheria in phase 1 and 2 of first round of immunization campaigns.

Data as of 12 October 2023

Situation Overview

  • Since December 2022, Nigeria has been experiencing a large diphtheria outbreak, which escalated in July 2023. As of 12 October 2023, there are 14,482 suspected cumulative cases of which 9,486 confirmed have been reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) since January 2023.

  • The outbreak has claimed 562 lives (CFR 5.9%), with 95% of deaths under 14 years. Improvement in case management and increased availability of Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT) have resulted in improved case fatality, with weekly case fatality reduced to less than 1 per cent.

  • Kano State in northwestern Nigeria represents the outbreak's epicentre, recording 71 per cent of confirmed cases. In total, 95 per cent of the cases are reported from five states of Northwest (Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Bauchi and Borno).

  • Initially localized in Kano, the outbreak has spread to 19 states and 128 LGAs, mostly in the Northeast, with suspected cross-border transmissions with the Republic of Niger under investigation.

  • The highest burden of the outbreak is borne by children between the ages of 1 and 14 years, accounting for a substantial 72 per cent (6,847 children) of the confirmed cases.

  • Analysis of vaccination status highlighted that over 60 per cent of all suspected cases have not been vaccinated.

  • Phase 1 and 2 of the first round of the reactive vaccination campaign, targeting 6.7 million children (6 weeks -14 years), with two doses Penta or Td vaccine, in seven states and 56 high-risk LGAs is completed. 829,181 and 1,731,639 children 6 weeks – 4 years were reached with two doses of Penta, while 1,668,964 and 3,275,197 children 4-14 years received two doses of Td vaccine in Phase 1 and 2 respectively.

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