BREAKING: UNTH Reports Diphtheria Death In Enugu, Begins Contact Tracing As State Govt Says Case Not Confirmed

The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, has reported the death of a patient following what its management described as a clinically diagnosed case of diphtheria, prompting the hospital to commence contact tracing and decontamination measures.

The development was disclosed in an internal memo issued by the hospital management to Heads of Departments and Heads of Units and obtained by Street News Reporters. According to the memo, the patient was treated at the Children’s Emergency Room (CHER) before dying two days after admission.

UNTH management said medical personnel made efforts to save the patient but were unsuccessful. The hospital subsequently commenced contact tracing to identify people who may have had contact with the patient during the period of treatment.

The Children’s Emergency Room where the patient was managed has also undergone decontamination as part of the hospital’s response to the reported case.

The hospital urged members of its community not to panic, noting that sporadic cases of diphtheria had been managed successfully at the facility in the past.

Management nevertheless directed healthcare workers and other members of the hospital community to remain vigilant and observe standard precautions while carrying out their clinical duties.

The hospital advised staff to familiarise themselves with symptoms associated with diphtheria, including fever, sore throat and difficulty swallowing. It also urged anyone who develops such symptoms to seek medical attention promptly.

The development comes amid ongoing concerns over diphtheria in Nigeria, with health authorities continuing to monitor outbreaks of the vaccine-preventable bacterial disease in several parts of the country.

However, the Enugu State Government has subsequently offered a different assessment of the situation. The state Commissioner for Health, Professor George Ugwu, said on Wednesday that there was currently no confirmed case of diphtheria in Enugu State.

According to the commissioner, the case reported at UNTH had been investigated by health authorities, but diphtheria could not be confirmed, with the patient instead suspected to have had tonsillitis. He said the state Ministry of Health remained vigilant and was taking measures to protect residents.

Ugwu urged residents not to panic or circulate unverified information, while advising people experiencing symptoms such as fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, breathing difficulties, neck swelling or a greyish-white membrane in the throat to seek medical attention.

He also called on parents and guardians to ensure that children are fully immunised against diphtheria and urged healthcare workers to promptly report suspected cases while maintaining appropriate infection-prevention and control measures.

Street News Reporters reports that the circumstances surrounding the reported case remain subject to clarification between the hospital’s internal communication and the state government’s subsequent statement. UNTH confirmed that contact tracing had commenced following the clinically diagnosed case, while the Enugu State Government said there was no confirmed diphtheria case in the state.