No fewer than nine people are believed to have lost their lives in what is said to be a fresh outbreak of diphtheria in Kaduna State.
A breakdown of the casualties shows that there were three children and six adults.
The Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Bello Jamoh, said the outbreak persisted in the state for the past 10 months, since October 2024.
Jamoh said the Kaduna State Ministry of Health is leading the response to the disease outbreak, with support from relevant partners and stakeholders. He added that a team of experts would be deployed to strengthen efforts in tackling the spread and providing medical support.
There are reports that on May 4, 2025, a community leader and director in the Northern Elders Forum, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, raised alarm over the resurgence of diphtheria in Tukur-Tukur Community of Zaria, Kaduna State, citing a recent tragic loss of two children within 48 hours.
Suleiman said the affected children exhibited symptoms such as sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and debilitating weakness.
The World Health Organisation described Diphtheria as a highly contagious vaccine-preventable disease caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It spreads through direct contact or respiratory droplets, affecting all age groups, but unimmunized children are particularly vulnerable.
The global health body outlined the symptoms as sore throat, fever, and a thick grey or white patch at the back of the throat, which can block airways and lead to breathing difficulties, and weakness.
However, a bereaved man in the recent tragedy in Zaria, Malam Bashir-Magaji Basharata, a resident of Kwarbai, Zaria, who noted that the disease is spreading fast across the city, said his daughter developed a swollen neck and difficulty breathing and speaking, and was rushed to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika.
He added that in spite of urgent care at the hospital, his daughter passed away, and soon after, three other children developed similar symptoms. He also said that he immediately informed the local council health department, which responded by sending a team of vaccinators to the area.
According to Basharata, two children from a neighbouring household were affected, along with another girl from a nearby street. He also reported that four children showing diphtheria symptoms were admitted to Kakaki Primary Health Care Clinic near Kwarbai.
While pointing out that only one of the children admitted at the Kakaki clinic was discharged as of his last visit, Basharata expressed concern over reports that no diphtheria vaccines were available across the entire Kaduna State.
He added that the visiting medical team claimed they sourced the vaccines from neighbouring Niger state.
Media reports had earlier raised alarm that there have been reports of a suspected diphtheria outbreak in Kings College, Lagos, in March, where several students at the school were hospitalized. This eventually resulted in the death of a junior student.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Abayomi, in late March, revealed that cases were reported in multiple Local Government Areas (LGAs), with Eti-Osa being the most affected, recording 44 suspected cases.
According to him, other impacted LGAs include Alimosho, Badagry, Ikorodu, Kosofe, Ojo, Mushin, and Lagos Island, where various numbers of suspected and confirmed cases were identified.
The state recorded ten confirmed cases of diphtheria between January 1 and March 27, 2025.
Similarly, on May 26, the Imo State government shut down schools following a diphtheria outbreak in Mbutu Community, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of the State, which led to the death of several children.
The Chairman of Aboh Mbaise LGA, Iheukwumere Alaribe, confirmed the development in a statement.
Meanwhile, the WHO has provided technical guidance and support to Nigeria in responding to the outbreak, which includes conducting risk assessments to determine the severity of the outbreak and guide response efforts. It has also procured diphtheria antitoxin and other essential supplies to support case management.
