Lagos State has recorded 53 suspected diphtheria cases in 2026, with six confirmed through lab testing.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, announced this during a press conference in Alausa, Lagos, on Wednesday.
Abayomi said all six confirmed cases were properly managed, and their contacts were traced and monitored during the incubation period.
He clarified that there is currently no diphtheria outbreak in Lagos, but the state has increased surveillance and preparedness due to active outbreaks in other parts of Nigeria.
“We are asking all Lagosians to stay calm. There is no diphtheria outbreak in Lagos right now. We are taking precautionary steps,” Abayomi said.
The commissioner encouraged residents to seek medical help immediately if they show symptoms like a severe sore throat, fever, weakness, trouble swallowing or breathing, neck swelling, or a white or grayish membrane at the back of the throat.
He explained that diphtheria is a bacterial respiratory infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which can produce a toxin that affects vital organs, especially the heart.
Abayomi advised people who have traveled to states with diphtheria outbreaks or had contact with confirmed cases to avoid self-medicating and to seek medical care if symptoms appear.
He mentioned that Lagos is ramping up disease surveillance, lab testing, contact tracing, and follow-up on confirmed cases.
According to him, immunization remains the most effective way to prevent diphtheria. He urged parents to ensure their children get all three doses of the pentavalent vaccine.
Lagos now has about 64 percent full vaccination coverage, with some children only partly vaccinated.
Abayomi also revealed that more than 1,000 public and private healthcare facilities across the state have been designated to handle suspected diphtheria cases.
Post a Comment