Kano State Denies 50 Diphtheria Deaths in Rano Area

The Kano State Government has refuted reports claiming that a diphtheria outbreak resulted in 50 child fatalities in Rano Local Government Area, labeling the assertion as unverified and misleading. Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas, Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), clarified that while diphtheria is a significant public health issue, the reported death toll is not corroborated by their surveillance data.

The KNCDC recorded two diphtheria-related deaths in Rano in 2026, with a cumulative total of 29 deaths from July 2023 to August 2026. A total of 32 cases were documented, with 25 patients treated at the Diphtheria Treatment Centre at Rano General Hospital and seven at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Kano.

Abbas noted that 94% of affected individuals were unvaccinated, and 91% sought treatment late. He criticized the lawmaker Ibrahim Muhammad for spreading unverified information and stated that attempts to verify the deaths through community engagement had been unsuccessful.

The KNCDC is committed to accurate disease surveillance and response.