Lagos State recorded 10 confirmed cases of diphtheria between January 1 and March 27, as health authorities intensify efforts to curb the outbreak.

In a statement, the Commissioner for Health Akin Abayomi said suspected cases have fluctuated over the period, with some days recording as many as 15 cases and others as few as one.

Providing an update on the outbreak at the weekend, Abayomi said laboratory tests conducted on 76 samples confirmed 10 positive cases, while 63 samples returned negative results.

“Another three samples collected on March 26 are still pending results,” the professor said. According to him, the outbreak has been reported in multiple Local Government Areas (LGAs), with Eti-Osa being the most affected, recording 44 suspected cases.

According to him, other impacted LGAs include Alimosho, Badagry, Ikorodu, Kosofe, Ojo, Mushin, and Lagos Island, where various numbers of suspected and confirmed cases have been identified.

He emphasised that in the interest of public safety, all confirmed cases are mandated to remain on admission for treatment.

He urged the public to cooperate with health authorities, noting that this measure is essential to prevent further transmission of the disease.

He said: “As part of the state’s response, 21 individuals have received Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT) treatment, with King’s College, Eti-Osa, accounting for the highest number of recipients- 14.

Other beneficiaries were from Lagos State Model School, Meiran, and various locations in Alimosho, Kosofe, and Badagry.” Abayomi stated that data analysis from out – break report shows that the outbreak peaked in the third, fourth, and tenth weeks of 2025, with four cases confirmed each week.

He however, noted that a decline in the number of cases in recent weeks indicates that containment measures may be yielding positive results.