The federal government has ordered the compulsory use of face masks in public places in diphtheria-affected states, as confirmed cases have risen to 8,406 to curb the spread of the disease.
It was reported that a total of 8,406 confirmed cases have been recorded from 114 local government areas (lgas) and 19 states as of today.
The affected states include, Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kaduna, Lagos, and FCT, among others.
The government further disclosed that Kano state is currently the epicenter of the diphtheria outbreak, as the state has reported 7,188 confirmed cases out of all the confirmed cases in the country, representing 86 percent of the total infection.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious vaccine-preventable disease which spreads between people mainly by direct contact or through the air, via respiratory droplets.
