UNTH Begins Contact Tracing After Suspected Diphtheria Case

ENUGU — The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State, has urged members of the public, patients, staff and visitors to remain calm following the management and subsequent death of a paediatric patient whose condition was clinically suspected to be diphtheria.

The hospital made the call in a statement signed by its Chief Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr Charles Nonyelu, following the management of the patient at the Children’s Emergency Room (CHER) of the hospital.

Nonyelu said the patient was appropriately managed but died two days after admission despite efforts by the attending medical team.

He said a subsequent post-mortem review had raised the possibility that the clinical presentation might have been caused by “pharyngotonsillitis with massive exudate”, rather than diphtheria.

“Nevertheless, in the interest of public safety and as a precautionary measure, contact tracing is ongoing to identify and monitor anyone who may have had close contact with the patient,” Nonyelu said.

He added that the hospital had carried out the necessary decontamination of the Children’s Emergency Room in line with established infection prevention and control measures.

According to him, UNTH had successfully managed sporadic cases of diphtheria in the past and had the requisite expertise and facilities to manage such cases.

“There is therefore no cause for unnecessary panic or alarm,” he said.

Nonyelu, however, urged members of the public to remain vigilant in view of the ongoing diphtheria situation in Nigeria and to familiarise themselves with symptoms including fever, sore throat and difficulty in swallowing.

He advised anyone developing such symptoms to seek prompt medical attention, while urging staff, patients, visitors and members of the public to continue observing standard infection prevention and control precautions.

Diphtheria is a bacterial disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which primarily affects the throat and upper airways and produces a toxin capable of damaging the heart, nerves and other organs.

It spreads mainly through respiratory droplets from infected persons and can also spread through contact with infected skin lesions or contaminated objects.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says unvaccinated and under-vaccinated people are at increased risk of infection, with young children particularly vulnerable to severe disease and death.

The disease can produce a thick greyish-white membrane in the nose or throat, making breathing and swallowing difficult.

The WHO’s March 2026 regional risk assessment reported that Nigeria accounted for the majority of suspected diphtheria cases and deaths among eight affected countries in the African Region.

The assessment recorded more than 29,000 suspected cases and 1,420 deaths across the eight countries from the beginning of 2025 to March 1, 2026, with Nigeria accounting for 62.6 per cent of suspected cases and 66 per cent of deaths. WHO also noted that reported cases in Nigeria had been declining or plateauing, although surveillance and reporting gaps remained.

More recent NCDC information reported in September showed that Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara accounted for 98 per cent of Nigeria’s confirmed diphtheria cases. NCDC Principal Health Communication Officer, Michael Okali, said available data showed that about 68 per cent of confirmed cases involved unvaccinated people, while 28 per cent had unknown vaccination status.

Okali also said Nigeria recorded 69 suspected cases, 48 confirmed cases and four deaths between August 24 and 30, 2026, adding that the NCDC, National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Federal Ministry of Health were supporting affected states with surveillance, contact tracing, case management, laboratory capacity and vaccination.

The NCDC says children who have not received the recommended diphtheria-containing vaccines are particularly vulnerable, while crowded living conditions and close contact with infected persons can increase the risk of transmission. It recommends full vaccination and early presentation at health facilities for suspected cases.

The agency’s national guidance recommends three primary doses of diphtheria-containing pentavalent vaccine during infancy, while WHO recommends subsequent booster doses to sustain protection. Close contacts of confirmed cases may require monitoring, preventive antibiotics and other measures under public-health guidance.

In the Federal Capital Territory, health authorities reported five laboratory-confirmed cases from 15 suspected cases investigated as of early September, with two deaths reported. The FCT Administration said it had activated a multidisciplinary incident management team to conduct contact tracing, provide preventive antibiotics and intensify community engagement.

At UNTH, Dr Nonyelu said management remained committed to protecting patients, staff and the wider community, assuring that the hospital would continue to take necessary measures to safeguard public health and provide updates based on verified information.

He urged the public to “remain calm, vigilant and guided by verified information.”