Diphtheria: 16,000 zero-dose children, late treatment fuel deaths in Kano — KNCDC

More than 16,000 children who have never received any dose of diphtheria vaccine, coupled with late presentation for treatment, misinformation and harmful traditional practices, have been identified as major factors responsible for the spread and deaths associated with diphtheria in Kano State.

The Director-General, Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC, Dr. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, disclosed this while speaking on the state’s disease surveillance and response efforts.

Abbas said more than 32,000 diphtheria cases had been confirmed in the state since the outbreak began in December 2022, out of more than 39,000 suspected cases investigated through laboratory, clinical and epidemiological confirmation.

According to him, over 1,800 people have died from the disease within the period, stressing that the state government would continue to provide relevant disease information to enable residents take appropriate preventive measures.

He explained that more than 16,000 of the confirmed cases involved children who had never received any vaccination, while over 9,000 had been fully vaccinated.

He said others were either partially vaccinated or had no records of their vaccination status.
The KNCDC boss identified late presentation as another major challenge in the fight against the disease, noting that diphtheria is an acute illness that could deteriorate rapidly if treatment is delayed.

He therefore urged parents and caregivers to seek immediate medical attention whenever children develop symptoms suggestive of diphtheria.

Abbas expressed concern over the practice by some families of taking affected children to traditional practitioners or barbers to remove the membrane that forms in the throat.

He warned that such practices could cause further injury and expose patients to serious complications.

The director-general said the state government had engaged traditional healers, barbers and community leaders to educate them on the dangers of treating suspected diphtheria cases outside recognised health facilities, with emphasis on early referral.

On misinformation, he said the state had established a rumour-tracking mechanism to monitor reports from communities and social media platforms, with a view to identifying and investigating claims capable of signalling disease outbreaks or misleading the public.

Abbas also dismissed reports that more than 50 children had died from diphtheria in Rano Local Government Area, saying official surveillance records showed that 32 cases were recorded between January and August 26, 2026, with two deaths.

He said seven of the patients were referred to an isolation centre because of complications, while 25 were treated at the designated diphtheria treatment centre.
According to him, analysis of the cases showed that 94 per cent of the affected patients had never received any form of vaccination, while 91 per cent presented late for treatment.

Abbas appealed to parents, community leaders and journalists to support disease surveillance by promptly reporting suspected cases and avoiding the spread of unverified information.

He stressed that vaccination, early presentation for treatment and access to accurate information remained critical to reducing diphtheria-related deaths in Kano State.