Severe diphtheria outbreak in Deeg kills eight children

Deeg: In Deeg, the medical department has been mobilized following the deaths of eight children, including a girl, due to diphtheria.

A team from the WHO and the Jaipur medical department has arrived in affected villages to accelerate vaccination efforts for children. Among the deceased are seven-yearold Sumit, five-year-old Akreen, and six-year-old Sumit from Kamma, along with several others from nearby areas.

One child, Shehzad, died while receiving treatment at SMS Hospital in Jaipur, where his brother Faizan is also hospitalized.

The WHO team is conducting vaccination campaigns in government and private schools, as well as door-to-door outreach. Rajveer Yadav, the WHO regional coordinator, emphasized the importance of immunization for children aged 0 to 16 to prevent further fatalities from this serious illness.