Hyderabad: The health authorities in Jamshoro district have started investigation of the Diphtheria suspect cases among children in Thana Bula Khan taluka as reported through the local media.
According to details, the district administration and the health authorities dispatched a health team to monitor the case response activity at village Adam Shoro near Union Council Mole.
A team led by Dr Abdul Khalique and Dr Ashok Kumar examined 6 children who were showing symptoms which were found in Diphtheria cases.
The children named Rasta, Shauban, Zahid, Sanjina, Fazila and Fareeda were examined by the doctors and their samples were also collected for the lab test.
The doctors during the visit also briefed the people about the vaccination program of Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI).
According to the World Health Organization, Diphtheria is a disease caused by a bacterium that affects the upper respiratory tract and less often the skin.
It also produces a toxin that damages the heart and the nerves.
Diphtheria is a vaccine preventable disease, but multiple doses and booster doses are needed to produce and sustain immunity.
Those who are not immunized or under immunized are at risk of the disease.
For unvaccinated individuals, without proper treatment, diphtheria can be fatal in around 30 percent of cases, with young children at higher risk of dying.
In 2023, an estimated 84 percent of children worldwide received the recommended 3 doses of diphtheria-containing vaccine during infancy, leaving 16 percent with no or incomplete coverage.