The Mbutu Community in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State is grappling with a deadly diphtheria outbreak that has led to multiple child fatalities, forcing authorities to close schools and intensify health interventions.
Okay.ng reported on May 28, 2025, that the precise number of deaths remains unclear. Iheukwumere Alaribe, Chairman of Aboh Mbaise LGA, confirmed the outbreak in a May 26 statement, highlighting the urgent public health threat.
Diphtheria is a contagious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which mainly infects the respiratory tract but can also affect the skin. It spreads through droplets from coughs or sneezes and contact with infected persons or contaminated surfaces.
To curb the outbreak, schools in Mbutu have been closed temporarily, and parents are advised to keep children indoors. “Diphtheria claimed the lives of the children less than a week after its outbreak,” said Godspower Dike, spokesman for the chairman.
The WHO, Imo State Ministry of Health’s Disease Prevention and Control unit, and local health workers are collaborating to investigate and contain the disease. An isolation centre at Mbutu Health Centre has been established to quarantine exposed children and provide treatment.
Chairman Alaribe urged parents to vaccinate their children promptly: “Vaccinations are crucial for preventing the spread of diseases and protecting our children’s health.”
Dike reassured the public, stating, “We encourage the public to remain calm and cooperate with the relevant authorities as we work to control this outbreak.”
Earlier in May, two children succumbed to diphtheria in Kaduna State’s Tukur-Tukur community, underscoring the ongoing national challenge. Nigeria has confirmed over 25,000 cases of diphtheria with more than 1,300 deaths reported since 2022.
