THE NATION IS still dealing with a diphtheria outbreak, says the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
On Saturday, the NCDC said on its official website that 41,336 suspected cases of diphtheria had been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
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From Epidemiological Week 19 in 2022 to Epidemiological Week 4 in 2025, 350 local government areas reported cases.
The most recent data from the NCDC shows that 7,769 cases (18.8%) were dismissed, while 24,846 cases (60.1%) were confirmed.
The classification of 3,546 cases (8.6%) is pending, while the status of 5,175 cases (12.5%) remains unknown.
The agency noted that the outbreak is concentrated in a few states, with Kano leading with 23,784 suspected cases, followed by Yobe (5,302), Katsina (3,708), Bauchi (3,066), Borno (2,902), Kaduna (777), and Jigawa (364).
These seven states account for 96.5 per cent of all suspected cases.
“Of the confirmed cases, the majority—15,845 (63.9%)—occurred among children aged one to 14 years, highlighting the disease’s severe impact on younger populations.
“Alarmingly, only 4,963 (20%) of the confirmed cases were fully vaccinated with a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine, suggesting gaps in vaccination coverage,” the agency stated.
NCDC reported that the outbreak has resulted in 1,262 deaths, reflecting a case fatality rate, CFR, of 5.1 per cent among confirmed cases.
The highest number of confirmed cases was recorded in Kano (17,770), followed by Bauchi (2,334), Yobe (2,380), Katsina (1,088), Borno (1,036), Jigawa (53), Plateau (31), and Kaduna (44).
These states account for 99.4 per cent of all confirmed cases.
The agency further disclosed that eight suspected cases were recently recorded in two states across five local government areas.
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Six of the cases (75%) were confirmed as clinically compatible with diphtheria.
No deaths were recorded in the latest cases, keeping the CFR at zero per cent for the period.
NCDC stressed the importance of vaccination in combating the disease.
“With the majority of cases occurring in children, strengthening immunisation efforts remains critical.
“Public health campaigns, improved surveillance, and rapid response initiatives are being deployed, particularly in the hardest-hit states,” it stated.
