Why is it in the news?

• A three-year-old girl in Punjab’s Faridkot district has died from suspected diphtheria, possibly the first case of the year. Despite a 96% immunization rate reported in August 2024, the child was unvaccinated and exhibited symptoms before her hospitalization.
• Following her death, health camps were organized to assess the situation, while confirmation reports from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER) are pending.

More about the news

• Diphtheria is caused by a toxin produced by certain strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, primarily affecting the respiratory tract and potentially spreading throughout the body.
• Common symptoms include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Although highly contagious, the disease has low fatality rates.
• The best prevention is immunization, which requires a full schedule of seven doses between ages 0 and 16 years. This includes three doses before one year, a Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus (DPT) booster at two years, a fifth dose at six, and one each at ten and sixteen.
• Recently, it is reported that 93.5% of Indian children aged one were immunized in 2023-24, with Punjab’s rate at 93.96%.
• Further, according to State Immunisation Officer of Punjab, by August 31 this year, the fully immunized rate had risen to 96%, covering children up to one year against various diseases, including diphtheria.
• Data from 2023-24 shows that nearly 84% of diphtheria cases in India were reported in ten states: Kerala, Assam, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Nagaland, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.
• According to WHO data, India reported 3,850 diphtheria cases in 2023, 3,286 in 2022, and 1,768 in 2021. The spikes in cases are often linked to unvaccinated children, with previous increases attributed to damaged health infrastructure and vaccine hesitancy in communities recovering from natural disasters or conflicts.