Diphtheria Outbreak Kills 23 in Jos North, 143 Suspected Cases Recorded

A diphtheria outbreak in Jos North LGA has killed 23 people and infected 143 others, with Plateau health officials battling diagnostic bottlenecks and engaging Rikkos community leaders to curb the spread.

Jos, Plateau State — September 1, 2026

A suspected diphtheria outbreak has claimed 23 lives in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State over the past two to three weeks, with 143 suspected cases recorded and nine patients currently on admission at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Plateau Specialist Hospital.

Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Ba'amlong, disclosed the figures on Tuesday, describing them as a sharp rise from the 15 deaths and 117 suspected cases reported just days earlier by the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer for Jos North, Baks Bulus. 

Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that spreads through close contact and can cause severe breathing difficulties, heart complications, and death, particularly among unvaccinated children.

Ba'amlong said the ministry's biggest challenges include late presentation of cases and difficulty confirming diagnoses, noting that the state lacks the specialised containers required to properly collect and transport samples for laboratory confirmation, which is slowing the pace of case verification even as suspected numbers climb.

Health authorities are focusing efforts on clinical management and community-level intervention, particularly in Rikkos, one of the hardest-hit communities. Ba'amlong said officials are engaging traditional and community leadership, including the area's paramount chief, to secure residents' cooperation with awareness campaigns and sensitisation efforts aimed at curbing further spread.

The outbreak adds Plateau to a growing list of states, including Katsina and Kano, grappling with diphtheria outbreaks this year, part of a national resurgence health authorities attribute largely to gaps in routine childhood immunisation. 

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has continued to urge parents and caregivers to ensure children receive complete, up-to-date vaccination schedules to prevent further outbreaks.