The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed in a statement received on Thursday that an outbreak of diphtheria in northeastern Guinea has claimed the lives of 58 individuals, including a significant number of young children.
The highly contagious respiratory ailment can result in fatalities in approximately five to ten percent of cases, with even higher mortality rates among children.
The WHO has documented well over 500 suspected cases since July, with the epicenter located in the Siguiri prefecture. Typically, symptoms begin with a sore throat and fever.
The WHO stated that Guinea’s healthcare system lacks the capacity to manage the outbreak, underscoring that vaccine coverage against diphtheria has remained below 50 percent of the population since 2014.
To sustain community protection against diphtheria, a coverage rate of 80-85 percent is required.
