Conakry (ALETIHAD) 
An outbreak of diphtheria in northeastern Guinea has killed 58 people, many of them young children, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a statement received on Thursday.

The highly contagious respiratory disease can be fatal in 5-10% of cases, and this percentage is even higher among children.

WHO reported well over 500 suspected cases since July, centred on the Siguiri prefecture. Symptoms usually start with a sore throat and fever. It can lead to difficulty breathing, heart rhythm problems, and even death. CDC recommends vaccines for infants, children, teens, and adults to prevent it.

Guinea’s health services do not have the capacity to cope with the outbreak, WHO said, noting that vaccine coverage against diphtheria has been below 50% of the population since 2014.

A coverage rate of 80-85% is needed to maintain community protection against diphtheria.

Back in 2018, Yemen also suffered from a disastrous diphtheria outbreak, which spread to 13 of Yemen’s 22 governorates, including the capital Sana’a. Children were among the worst affected.