The Kano State Government has dismissed reports that 50 children have died from a diphtheria outbreak in Rano Local Government Area of the state.
The claim, attributed to the member representing Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad, was described as unverified and misleading by the Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas.
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In a statement, Professor Abbas acknowledged that diphtheria remains a concern in Rano and that the outbreak has resulted in fatalities, but said the reported figure of 50 deaths was not supported by the centre’s surveillance data.
He said KNCDC records showed that two deaths from diphtheria were recorded in Rano in 2026, while 29 deaths had been recorded cumulatively between July 2023 and August 2026.
According to him, 32 diphtheria cases were recorded in the area, with 25 patients treated at the Diphtheria Treatment Centre at Rano General Hospital and seven others treated at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Kano.
The KNCDC boss disclosed that 94 per cent of the affected persons had not been vaccinated, while 91 per cent presented late for treatment.
He expressed concern over delays in reporting suspected cases to health facilities, stressing that early detection and prompt treatment were critical to reducing complications and containing the spread of the disease.
Professor Abbas also criticised the lawmaker for allegedly making unverified claims without first consulting relevant health authorities, including the Kano State Ministry of Health and KNCDC.
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He said the lawmaker had made similar unverified claims in October 2025, warning that such statements could mislead the public and undermine ongoing disease surveillance and outbreak response efforts.
The Director-General said KNCDC had deployed a team to communities identified by the lawmaker as being affected by the outbreak, but the team had so far been unable to verify the reported deaths despite engaging with residents.
He questioned how 50 deaths could occur without being reported through the state’s established community and disease surveillance structures.
These, he said, include traditional institutions, Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, Ward Focal Persons, Community Informants, Community Mobilisers, Surveillance Focal Persons and Field Volunteers, all of whom provide regular reports to KNCDC and other health partners.
Professor Abbas said the centre had also made efforts to meet with the lawmaker to obtain first-hand information about the reported deaths and establish whether he had been misinformed or could provide details that would enable health officials to identify the families of the alleged victims.
He explained that such information would allow the centre to conduct further investigations, including verbal autopsies where necessary, but said efforts 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.
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He said the centre remained committed to strengthening surveillance, ensuring rapid response and working with relevant stakeholders to prevent and control disease outbreaks across Kano State.