Diphtheria outbreak at UNTH: Health workers urge public to avoid hospital for now

There has been an outbreak of diphtheria at the University of Nigeria Nsukka Teaching Hospital (UNTH) and the disease has reportedly claimed many lives in recent days.

As a result, hospital staff and healthcare workers are warning the general public to avoid the hospital for now.

An 11-year-old girl taken to hospital died within two days, as did many others.

A medical student of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, on duty (name withheld), told our correspondent that workers are protected against the deadly disease with protective gear such as face and nose masks.

“This came to light about a week ago. They gave us protective equipment against the disease. It is more deadly than COVID-19,” the student said.

The head of the hospital’s medical advisory committee (CMAC), Dr. Charles Nonyelum, acknowledged the presence of the disease in the hospital, saying workers are equipped to deal with the situation and urging the general public not to panic.

In a statement tagged: “Call for calm and caution following a suspected case of diphtheria at UNTH,” Nonyelum wrote: “The management of the Nigeria University Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, wishes to reassure the public, patients, staff and visitors following the recent management of a clinically suspected case of diphtheria at the Children’s Emergency Department (CHER) of the hospital.

“The patient was managed adequately, but sadly died two days after admission, despite the efforts of the treating medical team.

“A subsequent post-mortem review raised the possibility that the clinical presentation may have been due to pharyngotonsillitis with massive exudate, rather than diphtheria.

“However, in the interests of public safety and as a precautionary measure, contact tracing is underway to identify and monitor anyone who may have had close contact with the patient.

“The Hospital also carried out the necessary decontamination of the Pediatric Emergency Department, in line with established infection prevention and control measures.”