Nigeria's Diphtheria Crisis: Increasing Cases and Deaths, Treatment Shortages - Outbreak News Today

“The global shortage of diphtheria antitoxin is becoming a matter of life and death,” said Dr David Kizito, Médecins Sans Frontières medical coordinator in Nigeria.

Nigeria is currently facing its largest diphtheria outbreak on record. Nigeria registered 37,529 suspected diphtheria cases, 28,151 confirmed cases, and 1,126 deaths across 26 states through November 7, 2026.

The numbers represent a stark acceleration compared to the previous year. Confirmed cases in 2026 are up 180 percent over 2025 figures, with two-thirds of those infected having never received a vaccine.

Kano State in northern Nigeria remains the hardest-hit area, accounting for 12,008 confirmed infections, or roughly 43 percent of the national total.

Local institutions are grappling with infections inside large educational facilities. Health authorities confirmed 12 diphtheria cases at First Lady College in Mariri, located in the Kumbotso local government area of Kano State. The boarding school accommodates more than 2,000 students.

Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, Director-General of the KNCDC, explained the response.

“We tested 313 suspected cases, out of which, 12 were clinically confirmed,” Abbas told newsmen, adding that officials administered medication to suspected contacts and educated students on the disease.

Abbas said that the institution requires a mass vaccination campaign to protect its student body, but authorities currently lack sufficient vaccine doses and must request additional supplies.

Medical teams across the region face severe constraints in acquiring diphtheria antitoxin, the only specific treatment that neutralises the toxin produced by the disease.

“Our stocks are dangerously low, and we risk being unable to treat children and save lives as the outbreak continues,” Kizito said.

In neighbouring Zamfara State, medical facilities supported by Médecins Sans Frontières in Gusau recorded more than 671 diphtheria admissions over approximately one month beginning on October 6. Four out of every five patients admitted were children who had not received the diphtheria vaccination.