Enugu Govt Denies Diphtheria Outbreak, Says Suspected UNTH Case Was Tonsillitis
The Enugu State Government has denied reports of a diphtheria outbreak in the state, saying there is currently no confirmed case of the vaccine-preventable disease despite the death of a patient who was initially suspected to have diphtheria at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH).
The clarification followed reports that a patient admitted to the Children’s Emergency Room of UNTH had died two days after admission, prompting the hospital to commence precautionary contact tracing and decontamination measures.
The Enugu State Commissioner for Health, Professor George Ugwu, said on Wednesday that investigations conducted by health authorities did not confirm diphtheria in the suspected case.
According to the commissioner, the patient’s clinical presentation was instead suspected to have been caused by tonsillitis. He assured residents that the state’s health authorities remained vigilant and were monitoring the situation closely.
“So far, there is no confirmed case of diphtheria in Enugu State,” Ugwu said, adding that the Ministry of Health was taking necessary measures to protect residents.
The clarification came after UNTH management issued a statement concerning the death and announced that contact tracing had commenced as a precautionary measure. The hospital said the patient had been appropriately managed by the attending medical team but died despite efforts to save the patient.
UNTH’s Chief Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Charles Nonyelu, said a subsequent post-mortem review raised the possibility that the patient’s clinical presentation may have been caused by pharyngotonsillitis with massive exudate rather than diphtheria.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the diagnosis, the hospital said it had begun contact tracing to identify and monitor anyone who may have had close contact with the deceased. The Children’s Emergency Room where the patient was treated was also decontaminated in line with established infection-prevention and control procedures.
UNTH urged members of the public, patients, staff and visitors to remain calm, noting that sporadic cases of diphtheria had been successfully managed at the hospital in the past. The hospital also said it had the expertise and facilities required to manage confirmed cases of the disease.
The Enugu State Commissioner for Health similarly appealed to residents to avoid spreading rumours or unverified information. He said the ministry’s Public Health and Surveillance Unit remained on alert to ensure that any suspected case is detected and responded to promptly.
Ugwu also advised residents experiencing symptoms associated with diphtheria, including fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, coughing, breathing difficulties, neck swelling or a greyish-white membrane in the throat, to seek medical attention without delay. He urged parents and guardians to ensure that children receive recommended diphtheria-containing vaccines, including the pentavalent vaccine.
The development comes as Nigeria continues to monitor diphtheria cases in several states. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has described diphtheria as a priority disease requiring prompt reporting of suspected cases, while laboratory confirmation involves specific testing for the causative organism and toxin production.
Street News Reporters reports that there is currently no confirmed diphtheria outbreak in Enugu State, according to the state government. While UNTH took precautionary measures, including contact tracing and decontamination, the hospital’s subsequent assessment raised the possibility that the deceased patient had pharyngotonsillitis rather than diphtheria. Authorities have therefore urged residents to remain vigilant, rely on verified information and seek medical attention promptly if they develop symptoms.
