Week of February 13 to 19
In an article published in The Little Comtois on February 17, 1893, it is stated that in Saint-Claude, a few “cases of diphtheria [se sont présentés] in the city, although not having the character of an epidemic”. Highly contagious, diphtheria is an infection that can lead to death.
To fight diphtheria, the mayor of Saint-Claude “invites all residents to take sanitary measures to prevent its spread. We hope it will be listened to,” notes the author of the article.
Today, Public Health France explains on son site internet that “Thanks to very high vaccination coverage, diphtheria due to Cornybacterium diphtheriae has disappeared in metropolitan France”, before adding; “Vaccination once morest diphtheria is mandatory in infants. The primary vaccination of infants consists of two injections at the age of 2 and 4 months, followed by a booster at the age of 11 months”.
For a year, there have only been around thirty cases of diphtheria in mainland France.
The Little Comtois, February 17, 1893, number 374, page 3.
