The National Biosafety Management Agency in Nigeria, NBMA, has called on the general public to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Diphtheria infection.
The Director General of the Agency, Dr Rufus Ebegba made the call in Abuja the nation’s capital.
He said that “It is important for the general public to be aware of the disease and take drastic steps to stop its spread.”
Dr Ebegba however called on the general public to adhere to safety measures and report any case or symptom of Diphtheria to the nearest medical facility, National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Ministry of Health and other relevant Government agencies.
According to him, the NBMA is taking proactive steps while also working with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure that biosecurity measures are taken to contain the disease.
Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the Corynebacterium species bacterium that affects a person’s nose, throat, and sometimes skin.
Diphtheria is preventable by a vaccine and the symptoms are; sore throat, cough, drooling of saliva, change of voice, neck swelling, abnormal breathing, fever or mouth odour, among others.
This illness can be transmitted from infected Diphtheria bacteria spread from person to person, usually through respiratory droplets, like from coughing or sneezing.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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