A 73-year-old woman died of diphtheria in Kyiv region: this is the first fatal case in 2023

A 73-year-old woman died of diphtheria in Kyiv region: this is the first fatal case in 2023

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A 73-year-old woman who was hospitalized on December 29, 2023 with a diagnosis of diphtheria died in the Kyiv region.

This is the first fatal case of diphtheria in 2023, the Public Health Center reports.

Diphtheria is an infectious disease transmitted by airborne droplets or through household items. The source of infection is a sick person.

It is noted that the life of an elderly woman could not be saved due to long-term self-medication and complications that arose as a result of the disease.

Photo: Teka77/Getty Images

During the epidemic investigation, it was found that the patient was in contact with 2 fellow villagers and 11 medical workers.

Now, to prevent the development of the disease, they are monitored by doctors.

Specialists of the Kyiv Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention also found out that the deceased had no vaccinations.

The Central Health Center reminded that adults should be vaccinated against diphtheria every 10 years. Vaccination is free.

Children should receive 6 doses of the vaccine at 2, 4, 6 and 18 months, then at 6 and 14 years.

According to doctors, the diphtheria bacillus (corynebacterium) can be stored in the external environment for up to 15 days. You can get rid of it by boiling and using a chlorine solution.

The incubation period of the disease is from 3 to 10 days.

Among the most common manifestations of the disease are:

  • sore throat;
  • high temperature and fever;
  • swelling of the mucous membrane of the oropharynx;
  • gray plaque on the tonsils, hoarseness of the voice;
  • swelling of the neck;
  • increase in cervical, submandibular lymph nodes.

We previously reported that the Ministry of Health urged people to get vaccinated against diphtheria and tetanus.

Read also: Diphtheria: “circles of death” and what can be done

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