Bauchi Shutdown Schools As Suspected Outbreak Of Diphtheria Disease Kill 2 Students

Ajiya Ayuba

All the government and private schools in Jama’are local government area of Bauchi State have been closed as the result of a suspected outbreak of Diphtheria disease that killed two (2) students to death.

The Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Health Care Agency, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, disclosed this to Newsmen in Bauchi on Wednesday.

He said that all schools in the affected local government area had been closed as a precautionary measure.

Adding that any school in the state where cases of diphtheria are confirmed would be closed down.

According to Mohammed said that out of 28 samples taken, two were confirmed saying the agency was determined to act fast to curtail a possible spread of the outbreak.

He said vaccination would be given to prevent the disease.

“We need to vaccinate children at six weeks and the good news is that the vaccination is free,” he said

Mohammed described the deaths of the students as unfortunate saying laboratory tests would confirm if they died of Diphtheria.

The Executive Chairman of the state Primary Health Care Development Agency said that Diphtheria is a serious infection but vaccine-preventable disease caused by bacteria and the common symptoms are sore throat, difficulty breathing, swollen glands in the neck, and fever among others.