The Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) has confirmed the deaths of five children from the same family following a diphtheria outbreak in Danbare Ward, Layin Dutse, Kumbotso Local Government Area.
The centre’s Director-General, Prof. Muhammad Adamu-Abbas, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, attributing the deaths to late presentation at a health facility and lack of vaccination.
According to him, the children, aged between one and 13, were among six siblings identified during an investigation based on the case definition and verbal autopsy. Three of the five deceased children had received no vaccinations, while the family reported that two had been immunised, although their routine immunisation cards were unavailable.
The sixth child, four-year-old Ummahabila Ibrahim, was admitted on October 1, 2026, with mild diphtheria and discharged on October 4. A follow-up assessment on October 12 confirmed that she had recovered fully.
Adamu-Abbas said the affected children presented with symptoms including fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, neck swelling, nasal bleeding and white patches on the tonsils. Other clinical concerns included anaemia, low platelet count, nerve complications and the risk of upper airway obstruction.
He urged parents and caregivers to ensure children receive routine immunisation and visit the nearest primary healthcare facility for missed doses or unusual symptoms.
He also advised residents to contact their local government disease surveillance officers when necessary.
The KNCDC chief warned against delayed treatment and self-medication, stressing that diphtheria is a serious but vaccine-preventable disease transmitted through respiratory droplets and close contact.
He called on residents to seek prompt medical attention, prioritise vaccination and cooperate with public health authorities to prevent further deaths and contain the spread of the disease.
