The Kano State Government has dismissed reports that a diphtheria outbreak claimed the lives of 50 children in Rano Local Government Area, describing the claim as unverified and misleading.
The Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) made the clarification following reports attributed to the member representing Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad.
In a statement, the Director-General of KNCDC, Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas, said although diphtheria remained a serious public health concern and had resulted in deaths, the reported figure of 50 fatalities was not supported by the centre’s surveillance records.
According to him, two diphtheria-related deaths were recorded in Rano in 2026, while the cumulative number of deaths recorded in the area between July 2023 and August 2026 stood at 29.
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Professor Abbas disclosed that 32 diphtheria cases had been recorded in Rano, with 25 patients treated at the Diphtheria Treatment Centre at Rano General Hospital and seven others managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Kano.
He added that 94 per cent of those affected had not been vaccinated, while 91 per cent arrived at health facilities late for treatment.
The KNCDC Director-General stressed that early detection, prompt reporting and timely treatment remained critical to preventing deaths and containing the spread of the disease.
Abbas also expressed concern over what he described as the circulation of unverified information, noting that the lawmaker should have consulted the Kano State Ministry of Health or the KNCDC before making such claims.
He said the lawmaker had made similar unverified allegations in October 2025, warning that such statements could create unnecessary panic, mislead the public and undermine disease surveillance and response efforts.
According to him, the KNCDC had deployed a team to communities identified in the claim to verify the reported deaths, but investigators had yet to establish evidence confirming the alleged fatalities despite engaging residents.
The Director-General questioned how 50 deaths could have occurred without being reported through the state’s established disease surveillance structures, which include traditional institutions, Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, Ward Focal Persons, Community Informants, Community Mobilisers, Surveillance Focal Persons and Field Volunteers.
He explained that these structures routinely submit reports to the KNCDC and other health partners as part of the state’s disease surveillance system.
Abbas further disclosed that the centre had attempted to meet with the lawmaker to obtain first-hand information and identify the families of the alleged victims.
He said such information would enable health officials to conduct further investigations, including verbal autopsies where necessary, but noted that attempts to establish contact with the lawmaker had so far been unsuccessful.
The KNCDC Director-General commended the Kano State and Federal Governments for their continued support for disease surveillance and outbreak response efforts.
He reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to strengthening disease surveillance, ensuring rapid response and working with relevant stakeholders to prevent and control disease outbreaks across the state.
