Lagos State has confirmed six cases of diphtheria in 2026 as health authorities step up surveillance and vaccination efforts against the disease.
The six laboratory-confirmed cases came from 53 suspected cases recorded in the state this year, according to Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi.
Abayomi said the confirmed cases were managed and their contacts traced and monitored.
But the state government says Lagos is not experiencing a widespread diphtheria outbreak.
That distinction matters: 53 suspected cases do not mean 53 confirmed infections, and six laboratory-confirmed cases do not by themselves establish widespread transmission across Lagos.
Lagos steps up surveillance
The government says it has intensified disease surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing and preparedness at designated health facilities.
Abayomi urged residents to remain calm but vigilant and to seek prompt medical attention for symptoms including severe sore throat, fever, weakness, difficulty swallowing or breathing, neck swelling, or a white or greyish membrane at the back of the throat.
He also advised people with suspected symptoms, particularly those who have travelled to affected states or had contact with confirmed cases, to avoid self-medication and seek professional care.
Vaccination gap remains a concern
Lagos health authorities say vaccination remains the main protection against diphtheria.
The state says full vaccination coverage currently stands at about 64 per cent, leaving a gap authorities want to close as surveillance continues.
Parents and guardians have been urged to ensure eligible children complete their recommended vaccination schedule.
The warning is significant because national data indicate that many confirmed diphtheria cases involve people who were not vaccinated.
Michael Okali, an NCDC health communication official, told Channels Television that about 68 per cent of confirmed cases in available national data involved unvaccinated people.
He also said eight states — Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara — accounted for about 98 per cent of confirmed cases nationally.
For the week of August 24 to 30, Okali said Nigeria recorded 69 suspected cases, 48 confirmed infections and four deaths.
What residents need to know
For Lagos residents, the current position is specific.
Six laboratory-confirmed cases have been recorded in 2026. The state says the patients were managed, contacts were traced and surveillance has been strengthened.
There is no widespread outbreak in Lagos according to state health authorities.
The next public-health test is whether surveillance can identify new transmission early — and whether vaccination gaps can be closed before isolated cases develop into sustained community spread.
