- The NCDC has confirmed 24,846 diphtheria cases out of 41,336 suspected cases across 36 states and the FCT
- Most confirmed cases (63.9%) are among children aged 1-14, and only 20% of confirmed cases were fully vaccinated
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 24,846 diphtheria cases nationwide.
In a report published on its website on Saturday, the agency stated that 41,336 suspected cases were recorded in 350 local government areas across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to the NCDC, the confirmed cases represent 60.1 percent of the total suspected cases. Additionally, 7,769 cases (18.8%) were discarded, 3,546 cases (8.6%) are pending, while 5,175 cases (12.5%) remain unknown.
The agency noted that the outbreak is concentrated in seven states: Kano (23,784), Yobe (5,302), Katsina (3,708), Bauchi (3,066), Borno (2,902), Kaduna (777), and Jigawa (364). These states account for 96.5 percent of all suspected cases.
The report stated: “Among the confirmed cases, a majority—15,845 (63.9%)—occurred in children aged one to 14 years, emphasizing the disease’s significant impact on younger populations.
“Alarmingly, only 4,963 (20%) of the confirmed cases were fully vaccinated with a diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine, highlighting gaps in vaccination coverage.”
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