Nigeria: Diphtheria outbreak

Since December 2022, Nigeria has been dealing with a severe outbreak of Diphtheria, resulting in 471 deaths, over 7,400 confirmed cases and 12,000 suspected cases as of 28 September 2023. The outbreak has risen sharply since July 2023, with over 1,000 new cases identified every week. Kano state is the main center of the outbreak, now spreading across 19 states. Active case finding, contact tracing, and vaccination remain low in these areas. To combat the outbreak, the IFRC and its membership hope to raise CHF 6 million to support the Nigeria Red Cross in scaling up its response in 12 states.

Read more about epidemics and pandemics