Diphtheria

Diphtheria in Nigeria — the country accounts for the majority of diphtheria cases in the WHO African Region, in an outbreak running since 2022. Per Nigeria's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and Kano State's Ministry of Health, cited by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), 65,759 cumulative suspected cases and 2,229 deaths (case fatality ratio 3.4%) had been recorded nationally as at 22 March 2026. The outbreak is concentrated in Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna and Sokoto states, which NCDC's most recent numbered situation report (Epi Week 3, 18 January 2026) put at 94.6% of suspected cases; that report also recorded 40,460 confirmed cases nationally and a 5.3% case fatality ratio among confirmed cases specifically. Kano State alone, the hardest-hit, recorded more than 31,900 suspected cases and over 1,260 deaths between March 2022 and 22 March 2026. MSF concluded its three-year emergency response there on 30 May 2026, having treated more than 14,700 children — the case fatality rate at MSF-supported facilities fell from 25% to under 5% during the intervention — and closed out with two mass vaccination rounds reaching 835,028 children in total (348,080 by 27 April 2026, a further 486,948 across 20 wards from 20-24 June 2026). "Although the number of cases has declined in recent months, mainly due to mass vaccination campaigns, the disease remains a serious health threat to children in Kano," said MSF project coordinator Abdoul-Aziz Djibrilla. Source: Leadership (Nigeria), 7 July 2026, citing NCDC and MSF; corroborated by NCDC's Epi Week 3 situation report.

Case trend

First actions

• →Log in national surveillance system — continue routine monitoring
• →Compare with seasonal baseline for this region and disease
• →Include in weekly surveillance briefing — escalate if trend worsens (▲ cases or CFR)

Cite this page (Vancouver)

HealthWatch Global. Diphtheria outbreak — Nigeria [Internet]. 2026-03-22 [cited 2026 Aug 19]. Available from: https://healthwatch-global.com/en/outbreak/1ca31b07-6f83-4967-9f59-b599f7574642. Data source: Leadership.