Translation Google
October 5, 2025
Health alert in Teneha: 7 dead, more than 70 infected
A major health alert has been triggered in the rural commune of Teneha, in the Kankossa department, Assaba province, after the death of seven people and the infection of more than 70 others with a disease suspected of being diphtheria.
According to local sources, the victims succumbed to an acute infection whose symptoms strongly suggest this rare but serious infectious disease. Authorities have not yet officially confirmed the diagnosis, but emergency measures have been activated.
The mayor of Teneha, Boubacar Ould Mohamed Mahmoud, confirmed the seriousness of the situation:
“We have closed all weekly markets and suspended all public gatherings. The priority is to contain the spread.”
Despite the scale of the cases, the mayor wants to be reassuring:
“Health authorities believe the situation is under control. We have launched awareness campaigns to inform residents of the danger and preventive measures.”
He also said that no new cases were reported last Friday and Saturday, and that patients who received appropriate treatment showed positive signs of recovery.
Diphtheria, although rare thanks to vaccination, remains potentially fatal, especially in remote areas where access to care is limited. It is transmitted through the respiratory tract and can cause serious complications, including respiratory and cardiac complications.
https://shemsmaarif.info/archives/2208
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Official recommendation to postpone school in areas where diphtheria deaths and infections have been recorded.
Sunday, 05/10/2025 - 20:26
Health authorities at the Ministry of Health have recommended postponing school attendance in villages where diphtheria deaths and infections have been reported in the Assaba and Hodhsin regions.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Health, the recommendation was made to ensure the safety of students and teaching staff, and to ensure a safe school environment.
In the same statement, the ministry announced the registration of 5 deaths from the disease in the state of Assaba, including 4 in the municipality of Tanaha in the district of Kankossa and one in the district of Grou.
According to a tally published by the ministry, the number of recorded cases of suspected infection has reached 84, of which 62 have fully recovered, while 15 are still under treatment.
As a precautionary measure, the ministry called for isolating suspected diphtheria cases for at least seven days after initiating treatment, and monitoring newly vaccinated students or those in contact with them for ten days before they return to class, in an effort to break the chain of infection and enhance herd immunity.
https://mourassiloun.com/node/37256
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Ministry of Health
19h ·
press release
Date: Sunday, October 5, 2025
As part of its daily monitoring of the national epidemiological situation, particularly the cases of diphtheria recorded in recent weeks in the provinces of Hodh El Oued and Assaba, the Ministry of Health would like to provide the public with the following clarifications:
Regarding the Kankossa district, to which the Tanah municipality belongs, the field health teams that began investigating the epidemiological situation reported that the situation is under control, as 84 suspected cases were recorded until October 4, 2025, of which 62 cases have fully recovered, and 15 cases are still under treatment, while the number of deaths reached 7 cases (including 4 deaths at home that did not undergo prior medical consultation).
In Gro County, 6 cases were recorded, 5 of which are under treatment, and one has passed away, may God have mercy on her soul.
Regarding field response measures, the Ministry, through the National Center for Health Emergency Operations (Malaath), the
Department of Disease Prevention and Control, and the Regional Health Committees, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, has begun implementing an urgent national plan that includes:
- Sending rapid intervention teams to the most affected states (Al-Hawdh, Assaba);
- Strengthening epidemiological surveillance at all border points and health centres;
- Training health teams to implement diagnostic and treatment protocols;
- Providing medicines, antibiotics and diphtheria antitoxin (DAT) in regional hospitals;
- Launching a campaign to vaccinate children and vulnerable groups in areas at risk;
- Organizing awareness campaigns to raise the level of vigilance and awareness among the local population.
Because this situation coincides with the school reopening, health authorities have recommended postponing the enrollment of students in the affected villages to ensure the safety of students and teaching staff and to ensure a safe school environment.
It also called for isolating suspected diphtheria cases for at least seven days after initiating treatment, and monitoring newly vaccinated students or those in contact with them for ten days before they return to class, in an effort to break the chain of infection and enhance herd immunity.
It is worth noting that our country has been witnessing a resurgence of diphtheria since October 2023 in the Bassiknou district, and the year 2024 witnessed the recording of dozens of cases in the states of Hodh El Chargui and Gorgol. This year (2025) 202 cases of this disease were recorded in the states of Hodh El Chargui and Assaba, of which 154 cases were cured, and 15 cases died (7 in Assaba + 8 in Hodh El Gharbi), while 41 cases are undergoing treatment, including 22 in hospitals and 19 in outpatient treatment.
Finally, the Ministry affirms that the epidemiological situation is under control and calls on citizens to ensure that their children are vaccinated on time, take advantage of the campaign currently being organized in the aforementioned areas, avoid unnecessary gatherings in the areas covered by the survey, and visit the nearest healthcare facility immediately upon the appearance of symptoms of fever, sore throat, or difficulty breathing.
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