A diphtheria outbreak has been declared at South Africa’s Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison following the death of a 19-year-old inmate.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla said the male inmate, who contracted the disease last month, died on Sunday, noting that eight more inmates, aged 18 to 23, are in isolation after testing positive for the disease.
Dr Phaahla added that two staff members who displayed symptoms are awaiting their results, as a vaccination drive in the affected section of the prison is under way.
According to the country’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases, South Africa has recorded sporadic diphtheria cases since it started immunizing against the disease in the 1950s, while Nigeria is currently battling one of its worst diphtheria outbreaks, which has killed more than 600 people and infected over 14,000.
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