Yobe State has recorded 511 diphtheria cases and 13 deaths between January and September 8, health authorities say.
Commissioner for Health and Human Services Muhammad Gana disclosed the figures in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu. The 13 deaths represent a case fatality rate of 2.5 per cent, according to Gana. He said the rate is lower than those recorded in most other states affected by the outbreak.
The cases have been reported across 12 local government areas in Yobe. Gana said vaccination plans were already underway in the affected areas.
Despite the latest figures, the state has recorded a significant decline in its diphtheria burden. Yobe reported about 1,100 cases by September 2025, while the disease was far more widespread in previous years. The state recorded its highest burden in 2023, when 3,080 diphtheria cases were documented.
Gana attributed the decline to sustained efforts to control the outbreak since then. These measures include free medication for affected patients and training for health workers on outbreak response.
Health authorities have also intensified vaccination campaigns in hard-to-reach communities. Community engagement and public sensitisation have been used to encourage residents to take preventive measures. Other response measures include aggressive contact tracing, regular coordination meetings and continuous updates for relevant stakeholders. The state has also mobilised resources to support its response to the outbreak.
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International Support
Gana praised the support provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET). He said their assistance has been particularly important to vaccination efforts in nomadic settlements, where reaching residents can be challenging.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that mainly affects the throat and upper respiratory tract. It can spread through respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The infection can also spread through direct contact with infected skin lesions or contaminated secretions.
Yobe’s latest figures show a substantial reduction from the state’s peak in 2023, although health authorities continue to rely on vaccination, surveillance and community-level interventions to contain the disease.
