Nigeria, Sept. 25 -- Plateau State has recorded 469 suspected cases of diphtheria and 31 deaths since the state began detecting children with symptoms of the disease in early 2026, the state government has said.

The Commissioner for Health, Nicholas Ba'amlong, disclosed this on Thursday in Jos, saying 160,000 children had so far been vaccinated as part of intensified efforts to contain the outbreak.

Mr Ba'amlong said the outbreak became a major public health concern in August as suspected cases increased, prompting the government to intensify vaccination, surveillance and community sensitisation across affected communities.

He said 17 patients were currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Plateau...