A new diphtheria outbreak has been reported at a boarding school in Nigeria's northern Kano State, raising concerns Friday about the spread of the highly contagious disease among students.
The outbreak comes as Nigeria battles its largest recorded diphtheria outbreak, with Kano accounting for more than two-fifths of confirmed infections in 2026.
The Kano State Centre for Disease Control said the outbreak was detected at a boarding school with more than 2,000 students and that authorities have launched a response after receiving the report.
A situation report by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), citing data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said the country had recorded 28,151 cases and 1,126 deaths as of Nov. 7.
Kano accounted for 12,008 confirmed cases, representing about 43% of the national total, making it Nigeria's worst-affected state.
The disease has spread to 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory, affecting 361 local government areas, the report said.
Children aged 5 to 14 are among the most affected groups, while about two-thirds of confirmed patients had not been vaccinated against diphtheria.
The outbreak has raised particular concerns for boarding schools, where students share accommodation and facilities, increasing the risk of transmission.
Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection that primarily affects the nose and throat. It spreads through respiratory droplets and close contact with infected people.
The disease can cause breathing difficulties, heart complications and death if treatment is delayed.
Health authorities have identified gaps in vaccination coverage and delays in seeking medical care as major challenges in containing the outbreak.
The IFRC report also warned that vaccination uptake remained low in some affected communities despite the deployment of emergency vaccination doses.
