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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that the country continues to battle a widespread diphtheria outbreak.
An update on its official website stated that a total of 41,336 suspected cases have been recorded across all 37 states.
These cases were reported from 350 local government areas between Epidemiological Week 19 in 2022 and Epidemiological Week 4 in 2025.
Of the reported cases, 24,846 (60.1%) have been confirmed, while 7,769 (18.8%) were ruled out.
An additional 3,546 cases (8.6%) remain under investigation, and the status of 5,175 cases (12.5%) is yet to be determined.
The NCDC highlighted that the outbreak is largely concentrated in a few states, with Kano being the most affected, reporting 23,784 suspected cases.
Other severely impacted states include Yobe (5,302), Katsina (3,708), Bauchi (3,066), Borno (2,902), Kaduna (777), and Jigawa (364).
Together, these seven states account for 96.5% 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,” the agency stated.
“Alarmingly, only 4,963 (20%) of the confirmed cases were fully vaccinated with a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine, suggesting gaps in vaccination coverage.”
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that the ongoing diphtheria outbreak has led to 1,262 fatalities, with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 5.1% among confirmed cases.
Kano remains the hardest-hit state, accounting for 17,770 confirmed cases.
Other significantly affected states include Yobe (2,380), Bauchi (2,334), Katsina (1,088), Borno (1,036), Kaduna (44), Jigawa (53), and Plateau (31). Collectively, these states represent 99.4% of all confirmed infections.
In its latest update, the NCDC noted that eight new suspected cases were reported across five local government areas in two states.
Of these, six (75%) were classified as clinically compatible with diphtheria. No new fatalities were recorded, keeping the CFR at zero for the most recent cases.
The agency reiterated the critical role of vaccination in curbing the outbreak and urged increased immunization efforts to prevent further spread.
“With the majority of cases occurring in children, strengthening immunisation efforts remains critical,” NCDC stated.
“Public health campaigns, improved surveillance and rapid response initiatives are being deployed, particularly in the hardest-hit states.”
The ongoing diphtheria outbreak highlights the critical need for strengthened vaccination efforts and public health measures, particularly in northern Nigeria, where the majority of cases have been recorded.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) emphasized that closing the immunization gap is essential to curbing the spread of the disease and lowering its high fatality rate.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by ‘Corynebacterium diphtheriae’.
It primarily affects the respiratory system, targeting the mucous membranes of the throat and nose.
The bacteria produce a toxin that can lead to the formation of a thick, grayish-white membrane in the throat, which may obstruct breathing and pose serious health risks.
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.
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