Kano State Government has dismissed reports that a diphtheria outbreak in Rano Local Government Area claimed the lives of 50 children.
The claim, attributed to the member representing Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad, was described by the Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas, as unverified and misleading.
Abbas, in a statement on Friday, acknowledged that diphtheria was present in Rano and had resulted in fatalities, but said the reported figure of 50 deaths was not supported by the centre’s surveillance data.
According to him, two deaths were recorded from diphtheria in Rano in 2026, while 29 deaths had been recorded cumulatively between July 2023 and August 2026.
He disclosed that the KNCDC recorded 32 diphtheria cases in Rano, with 25 patients treated at the Diphtheria Treatment Centre at Rano General Hospital and seven others treated at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Kano.
The director-general further revealed that 94 per cent of those affected had not been vaccinated, while 91 per cent reported late for treatment.
He stressed that early detection and prompt treatment were critical to preventing further deaths and containing the spread of the disease.
Abbas also criticised the lawmaker for allegedly making the claim without first consulting the Kano State Ministry of Health or the KNCDC, noting that he had made similar unverified claims in October 2025.
He warned that such statements could mislead members of the public and undermine ongoing disease surveillance and outbreak-response efforts.
The KNCDC boss said the agency had deployed a team to communities mentioned by the lawmaker as being affected by the outbreak, but the team had so far been unable to verify the alleged 50 deaths despite engaging with residents.
He questioned how such a high number of deaths could occur without being reported through the state’s established community and disease surveillance structures.
He listed traditional institutions, Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, Ward Focal Persons, Community Informants, Community Mobilisers, Surveillance Focal Persons and Field Volunteers among the structures that regularly report suspected cases to the KNCDC and other health partners.
Abbas said the centre had also attempted to meet with the lawmaker to obtain first-hand information about the alleged deaths and determine whether he had been misinformed or could provide information that would enable health officials to identify the families of the alleged victims.
He explained that such information would assist the centre in conducting further investigations, including verbal autopsies where necessary, but said efforts to establish contact with the lawmaker had so far been unsuccessful.
The KNCDC director-general commended the Kano State and Federal Governments for their continued support for disease surveillance and outbreak response.
He reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to strengthening surveillance, ensuring rapid response and collaborating with relevant stakeholders to prevent and control disease outbreaks across Kano.