Diphtheria Outbreak Kills 31 In Plateau As Suspected Cases Rise To 469

A diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria’s Plateau State has killed 31 people, with 469 suspected cases recorded across 10 local government areas. Jos North accounts for the highest number of suspected cases, with 370 reported. State health authorities have activated an emergency response involving case detection, contact tracing, vaccination and treatment, while more than 160,000 children have received diphtheria and tetanus vaccines. However, Plateau still needs about 250,000 additional vaccine doses to cover children in affected areas. Parents and caregivers have been urged to ensure children receive their routine vaccinations and seek medical attention promptly when symptoms appear.

DEATH TOLL RISES AS PLATEAU BATTLES DIPHTHERIA OUTBREAK

At least 31 people have died following a diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria’s Plateau State, with 469 suspected cases recorded across 10 local government areas.
The figures were disclosed by Plateau State Commissioner for Health Nicholas Ba’amlong as health authorities intensified efforts to contain the disease.
Although sporadic suspected cases had been recorded earlier in the year, health officials said the situation became a major public health concern from August as the number of suspected infections increased.
Of the 469 suspected cases, three had been laboratory-confirmed, according to the latest figures released by the state health authorities.

JOS NORTH RECORDS HIGHEST NUMBER OF CASES

Jos North Local Government Area has recorded by far the highest number of suspected cases, with 370 cases.
It is followed by Wase with 29 cases, Jos South with 22, while Barkin Ladi and Mangu have recorded 16 cases each.
Pankshin has reported five suspected cases, Kanam and Mikang four each, Shendam two and Bassa one.
The concentration of cases in Jos North has made communities in the area a major focus of the state’s surveillance, vaccination and public awareness efforts.

STATE ACTIVATES EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM

The Plateau State Government has activated its Incident Management System to strengthen coordination of the response.
Dr Maren Job Damala has been appointed incident manager and is coordinating activities involving health authorities and other response partners.
The measures include active searches for suspected cases, contact tracing, community sensitisation, treatment of mild cases within communities and isolation and treatment of severe cases at designated hospitals.
Health authorities have also supplied treatment commodities to Plateau State Specialist Hospital and Jos University Teaching Hospital, where facilities are being used to manage severe cases.

MORE THAN 160,000 CHILDREN VACCINATED

Vaccination remains one of the main tools being used to prevent further spread.
More than 160,000 children have so far received diphtheria and tetanus vaccines, while more than 30,000 children have received pentavalent vaccines.
However, the state still faces a shortage of about 250,000 doses needed to extend vaccination to children in the remaining parts of Jos North and other affected areas.
The shortage comes as authorities attempt to reach children who may not have received all the recommended doses of routine childhood vaccines.

TEACHERS TRAINED TO SPOT WARNING SIGNS

Health authorities have also involved schools in the response.
Teachers in public and private schools in Jos North have been trained to recognise early symptoms of diphtheria and ensure that suspected cases are quickly referred for appropriate medical attention.
The involvement of teachers is particularly important because children spend significant periods together in classrooms, where a contagious respiratory infection can spread through close contact.
Plateau State had earlier temporarily closed public and private primary and secondary schools as part of measures to reduce transmission during the outbreak.

WHAT IS DIPHTHERIA?

Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection that mainly affects the throat and respiratory system.
It can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Close contact with an infected person can also increase the risk of transmission.
Symptoms can include fever, sore throat, coughing, difficulty breathing and characteristic white or grey patches in the throat. Severe infections can cause serious breathing problems and other complications.
The disease is preventable through vaccination. The World Health Organisation has previously described diphtheria as a highly contagious vaccine-preventable disease and has highlighted the increased risk among children who are not fully immunised.

VACCINATION GAPS REMAIN A MAJOR CONCERN

The Plateau outbreak comes against the backdrop of a wider diphtheria problem in Nigeria.
The WHO reported that Nigeria continued to record the highest number of diphtheria cases in Africa, with thousands of suspected and confirmed cases reported nationally in 2025. The organisation has linked the continued spread partly to low vaccination coverage and the large number of under-immunised children.
This means that the Plateau outbreak is not an isolated public health challenge. It forms part of a broader national struggle to ensure that children receive complete routine immunisation.
Health officials have repeatedly stressed that receiving all recommended doses is important because partial vaccination may not provide adequate protection.

PARENTS URGED TO COMPLETE CHILDREN’S VACCINATIONS

The Plateau State Government has urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive all recommended routine vaccines.
Ba’amlong also advised residents to maintain good hygiene, avoid unnecessary close contact with people showing symptoms and seek medical attention quickly when diphtheria is suspected.
Early detection is important because infected people can transmit the disease to others, particularly in crowded settings.
Residents have also been encouraged to report suspected cases to health authorities rather than waiting for symptoms to become severe.

HEALTH AUTHORITIES INTENSIFY SURVEILLANCE

Health workers are continuing active case detection and contact tracing in affected communities.
Contact tracing involves identifying people who may have been exposed to an infected person so that they can be monitored and, where necessary, tested or treated.
Authorities are also continuing community sensitisation campaigns aimed at helping residents recognise symptoms and understand the importance of vaccination.
The government says regular monitoring and coordination meetings will continue as officials assess the progress of the response and determine where additional interventions are needed.

A RACE TO PREVENT FURTHER DEATHS

The latest figures show the scale of the challenge facing Plateau State, particularly in Jos North, where most of the suspected cases have been recorded.
With 31 deaths reported and hundreds of suspected infections, health officials are working to expand vaccination, improve early detection and ensure that severe cases receive treatment quickly.
The remaining vaccine shortage, however, remains a significant challenge as authorities attempt to protect children in communities that have yet to be fully covered.
For families across Plateau State, the response is ultimately about more than controlling statistics. It is about ensuring that children who can be protected against a vaccine-preventable disease do not become victims of an outbreak that can be contained through timely vaccination, early treatment and effective public health measures.