The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that the country is still battling a diphtheria outbreak.
In an update on its official website on Saturday, the NCDC revealed that 41,336 suspected cases have been recorded across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The cases were reported from 350 local government areas between Epidemiological Week 19, 2022, and Epidemiological Week 4, 2025.
According to the latest data, 24,846 cases (60.1%) were confirmed, 7,769 (18.8%) were discarded, 3,546 (8.6%) are still under classification, and the status of 5,175 cases (12.5%) remains unknown.
The outbreak is heavily 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% of all suspected cases.
The NCDC highlighted that 15,845 (63.9%) of the confirmed cases were among children aged one to 14 years, demonstrating the disease’s severe impact on younger populations. Alarmingly, only 4,963 (20%) of those confirmed cases had been fully vaccinated with a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine, indicating significant gaps in immunization coverage.
The outbreak has resulted in 1,262 deaths, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 5.1% 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% of all confirmed cases.
Additionally, eight new suspected cases were recently reported across five local government areas in two states, with six (75%) classified as clinically compatible with diphtheria. However, no deaths were recorded among the latest cases, keeping the CFR at zero for the period.
The NCDC emphasized the critical role of vaccination in controlling the outbreak.
“With most cases occurring in children, strengthening immunization efforts is essential. Public health campaigns, enhanced surveillance, and rapid response measures are being implemented, particularly in the hardest-hit states,” the agency stated.
