DIPHTHERIA DEATH TOLL INCREASES TO 1,319 NATIONWIDE
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Nigeria has reported 25,812 confirmed cases of diphtheria out of 42,642 suspected cases across 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and 350 local government areas (LGAs).
However, the confirmed cases are spread across 184 LGAs in 26 states.
As of March 9, 2025, the outbreak has resulted in 1,319 deaths.
This is according to the latest data obtained exclusively from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, detailing the situation report of the disease from week 19 of 2022 to week 10 of 2025 (March 9, 2025).
According to the data, Kano has 24,239, cases Yobe (5,330), Katsina (4,237), Bauchi (3,066), Borno (3,058), Kaduna (777), and Jigawa (364) account for 96.3 of suspected cases reported.
“Of the 42,642 suspected cases reported, 25,812 (60.5 per cent) were confirmed cases (396 lab-confirmed; 216 epid linked; 25,200 clinically compatible), 7,769 (18.2 per cent) were discarded, 3,591 (8.4 per cent) are pending classification, and 5,470 (12.8 per cent) were unknown.
“The confirmed cases were distributed across 184 LGAs in 26 states. Kano (18,108), Bauchi (2,334), Yobe (2,408), Katsina (1,501), Borno (1,161), Jigawa (53), Plateau (119), and Kaduna (44) accounted for 99.7 of confirmed cases reported.
“Majority [16,234 (62.9 per cent)] of the confirmed cases were among children aged one to 14 years. Only 4,981 (19.3 per cent) out of the 25,812 confirmed cases were fully vaccinated with a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine. A total of 1,319 deaths (CFR: 5.1 per cent) were recorded among confirmed cases,” the report partly read.
The distribution of the confirmed cases showed that Kano was leading with 18,108 cases; followed by Yobe – 2,408; Bauchi – 2,334; Katsina – 1,501; Borno – 1,139; Plateau – 119; Jigawa – 53; Kaduna – 44; Sokoto – 31; Zamfara – 21; FCT – 15.
Others are Lagos – Eight; Gombe – Seven; Edo – Six; Adamawa – Five; Nasarawa – Three; Osun – Three; Abia – Two; Kebbi – Two; Niger – Two; Taraba – Two; Cross-River – One; Ekiti – One; Ekiti – One; Enugu – One; Imo – One; and Ogun – One.
The deaths were recorded in Kano (850); Katsina (114); Yobe (109); Bauchi (104); Borno (68); Plateau (29); Kaduna (11); Jigawa (Seven); FCT (Seven); Lagos (Six); Sokoto (Five); Adamawa (Four); Edo (Two); Gombe (One); Nasarawa (One); Osun (One); and Ekiti (One).
The public health institute stated that it provided technical and offsite support to states on case identification, reporting, and response, especially non-reporting and low-burden states, and data harmonisation with laboratory and case management pillars.
The centre lamented that some of the challenges encountered were very low-test positivity rates as all the cases in 2024 were confirmed by clinical compatibility, and inadequate reagents and consumables for commencement of polymerase chain reaction directly on clinical samples.
It, however, noted that it would continue with its case management data harmonisation and follow-up with states, data collection by case managers across designated treatment centres, offsite/onsite support, collaboration, and supervision of state diphtheria RCCE activities.
Engagement of social media channels with comics and interview videos of survivors, whole genomic sequencing for confirmed isolates would also be continued, according to the NCDC.
The centre added that it would continue to optimise the protocol for PCR on clinical samples and metagenomics, capacity building on laboratory diagnosis of diphtheria using PCR directly on clinical samples, and support testing sites with reagents and consumables.
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