The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says the country has continued to grapple with diphtheria outbreak.

The NCDC, via its official website, said that a total of 41,336 suspected cases of diphtheria had been reported from 37 states.

It said that the cases were reported from 350 local government areas between Epidemiological Week 19, 2022, and Epidemiological Week 4, 2025.

According to NCDC’s recent data, 24,846 (60.1%) of the cases were confirmed, while 7,769 (18.8%) were discarded.

The public health agency said that the 3,546 cases (8.6%) were pending classification, while the status of 5,175 cases (12.5%) was unknown.

The agency said that the burden of the outbreak was 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).

It noted that the seven states accounted 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,” it said.

The NCDC said that the outbreak had resulted in 1,262 deaths, reflecting a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 5.1 per cent among confirmed cases.

It said that the highest number of confirmed cases was reported 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).

The NDCDC stated that the states accounted for 99.4 per cent of all confirmed cases.

The agency said that eight suspected cases were most recently recorded from two states across five local government areas.

It said that six of the cases (75%) were confirmed as clinically compatible with diphtheria.

The NCDC said that no deaths were recorded in the period, keeping the CFR at zero per cent for the latest cases.

It, however, stressed the importance of vaccination to tackle 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 said.

It said that the ongoing diphtheria outbreak underscored the urgent need for intensified vaccination campaigns and public health interventions, especially in northern Nigeria, where the majority of cases were concentrated.

The agency said that addressing the vaccination gap was key to preventing further spread and reducing the high fatality rate associated with the disease.

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

It primarily affects the mucous membranes of the throat and nose.

The bacteria release a toxin that can cause a thick grey or white coating to form in the throat, making breathing difficult.

In severe cases, diphtheria can damage the heart, nervous system, and other organs.

Immunisation through the diphtheria vaccine is a key preventive measure, and it is often administered as a part of routine childhood vaccinations.

(NAN)