Lagos State has confirmed six diphtheria cases from 53 suspected infections recorded in 2026, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has disclosed.
Abayomi made the disclosure on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, during a briefing on the state’s diphtheria preparedness and response in Alausa, Ikeja.
He said the six patients had been treated, while their contacts were traced and monitored.
The commissioner said the cases did not constitute a widespread outbreak, but surveillance had been intensified following outbreaks in other parts of the country and increased movement between Lagos and affected states.
He urged residents with severe sore throat, fever, neck swelling, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or a white or greyish throat membrane to seek medical care promptly and avoid self-medication.
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Abayomi described vaccination as the most effective protection against diphtheria and urged parents to complete their children’s three-dose pentavalent vaccine schedule.
He said full childhood vaccination coverage in Lagos stood at about 64 per cent, while routine immunization was available at more than 1,000 health facilities across the state.
Mainland Hospital, Yaba; Massey Street Children’s Hospital, Lagos Island; Lagos University Teaching Hospital; and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital were designated to manage suspected cases.
The state is also collaborating with the education sector ahead of school reopening to strengthen vaccination awareness and disease surveillance.
The development follows a more serious episode in 2025, when Lagos confirmed 10 diphtheria cases from 76 samples tested between January 1 and March 27. Authorities subsequently intensified contact tracing and vaccinated 36,310 people.
The government said continued surveillance and early treatment remained critical to preventing further transmission.