Senegal faces diphtheria outbreak with multiple deaths reported

Senegal is experiencing a diphtheria outbreak, with health authorities reporting multiple confirmed cases and fatalities across several districts. In the Kédougou region, 19 new cases have been confirmed in the Saraya, Kédougou, and Salémata health districts. Among these confirmed cases, three deaths have been reported: one at the Bambaraya health post in Saraya, one at the Ndiormi secondary center, and one at the Tenkoto health post in Kédougou.

The confirmed patients include 11 boys and 8 girls, with a median age of 5 years and a range from 1 to 20 years old. Health officials are currently monitoring 34 contact subjects who have been placed under prophylactic treatment.

In other parts of the country, 16 cases have been recorded in locations including Kédougou, Saraya, Mbour, Salémata, and Guédiawaye. Notably, in Salémata, an eight-year-old boy who was fully vaccinated was among those treated. In response to the spread, local authorities have convened epidemic management committees to strengthen prevention measures and epidemiological surveillance. Health teams are also reviewing medical registers for children aged 0 to 14 and conducting testing on suspected cases.