The Lagos State Government has urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children are fully vaccinated against diphtheria, following the confirmation of six cases from 53 suspected infections recorded in the state in 2026.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who disclosed this yesterday during a media briefing on the state’s diphtheria preparedness and response in Alausa, Ikeja, said all six confirmed cases had been appropriately managed, while their contacts were traced and placed under observation during the incubation period.

Abayomi, however, assured residents that there was currently no widespread outbreak of diphtheria in Lagos, saying the state was strengthening surveillance and preparedness measures in response to outbreaks reported in parts of the country.

Meanwhile, Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, has disclosed that more than 300 cases of diphtheria have so far been recorded in the state.

“So far, the death toll resulting from the disease still stands at 27. We are identifying more,” he said.

Baamlong said that the state had been moving from house to house to identify more victims and take them to the hospital for treatment.

Abayomi urged residents not to panic but to remain vigilant, noting that Lagos State is particularly vulnerable because of its large population and the continuous movement of people between the state and other parts of the country, including areas recording high numbers of diphtheria cases.

The commissioner advised residents to seek prompt medical attention if they develop symptoms, such as severe sore throat, fever, weakness, difficulty in swallowing or breathing, neck swelling, or a white or greyish membrane at the back of the throat.

Abayomi advised people with suspected symptoms, particularly those who had travelled to affected states or had contact with confirmed cases, to seek medical attention rather than self-medication.

He listed Mainland Hospital, formerly Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba; Massey Street Children’s Hospital, Lagos Island; Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH); and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) as the four designated facilities for managing suspected diphtheria cases.