The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the Health Ministry of Guinea has reported an outbreak of diphtheria, a serious infection caused by strains of bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
On September 5, 2023, the Ministry of Health notified WHO of a diphtheria outbreak in Guinea.
According to the Global Health Agency, from July 4 to October 13, 2023, a total of 538 cases of diphtheria were reported in the Kankan region, in the east-central part of Guinea.
Of the total cases reported, 520 are suspected and 18 confirmed, with 58 deaths, including 13 among confirmed cases (case fatality rate (CFR) among all cases, 11 percent).
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The 1-4 age group accounted for the largest proportion of reported cases.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious vaccine-preventable disease caused mainly by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which can be fatal in 5–10 percent of cases, with a higher mortality rate in young children.
However, in settings with poor access to diphtheria antitoxin, the CFR can be as high as 40 percent.
Diphtheria remains a significant health problem in countries with poor routine vaccination coverage.
According to WHO/UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage (WUENIC), the immunization coverage with the diphtheria-tetanus toxoid and pertussis (DTP3)-containing vaccine was reported to be 47% for 2022 in Guinea and has remained below 50% since 2014.
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“This is insufficient for achieving the coverage of 80–85% required to maintain community protection. WHO assesses the risk of diphtheria to be high in Guinea, considering the chronically low vaccination coverage,” it stated.
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