Diphtheria: King’s College hit by deadly outbreak, one dead, 14 hospitalised

The Lagos state government has swung into actions after, a suspected outbreak of diphtheria at King’s College, Lagos.

This comes after the outbreak, has left one student dead and four others hospitalised at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba.

According to media reports, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof Wasiu Adeyemo, said the four students currently undergoing treatment in the hospital were given antibiotics and antitoxin when rushed into the facility.

He assured that the students were now in stable condition but were undergoing further treatment.

“We have four students admitted in LUTH. They have not been discharged, all the four of them are still in the hospital, they are stable, they have given them antibiotics and antitoxin supplied by Lagos State government,” he added.

Recall that on February 22 2025, the outbreak was first detected, when a 12-year-old student of the King’s college presented with a sore throat and fever at the school’s health facility.

Report has it that, parents of students at the school expressed worries over the outbreak, and blamed the school’s poor sanitary conditions.

Parents of some students also reported that, their children had fallen sick and were diagnosed with diphtheria.

Furthermore, the Public Relations Officer of King’s College Parents Teachers Association, Ngozi Ogbonna, urges parents to remain calm, as efforts are underway to control the situation.

Ogbonna in her message titled, “Issue of Diphtheria Disease in Annex Campus, King’s College”, said the college management and PTA EXCO are working to address the situation.

“As part of their efforts, the management and PTA EXCO met and contacted the relevant government health agencies, who, in collaboration, advised that booster doses of vaccines should be administered to the students.

“However, some of the students who manifested symptoms have been isolated, taken to LUTH for diagnosis and results awaited.

“Other students who manifest symptoms subsequently would be taken to LUTH accordingly, and parents contacted for follow-up.

“Delegates of the World Health Organisation visited the Annex Campus this evening to play their role in controlling the situation.

“On this note, we, therefore, implore parents to remain calm and prayerful as everything is under control.

“We shall overcome,” Ogbonna said in her message.

About Diphtheria

The World Health Organisation (WHO), described diphtheria as a contagious disease caused by toxin-producing bacteria, which can spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

WHO stated that vaccines can prevent the disease, and early treatment can reduce the risk of complications or death.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed 41,336 suspected cases of diphtheria in 37 states between Epidemiological Week 19, 2022, and Epidemiological Week 4, 2025.

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