By Mustapha Salisu
A family in Danbare New Layout, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State, has lost five children within seven days to an illness suspected by the family to be diphtheria, prompting calls for urgent medical investigation and measures to prevent further deaths.
The children, comprising three girls and two boys, reportedly died between October 1 and October 7, 2026, leaving their father, Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, and other family members devastated.
Information obtained from the family indicates that two children, a boy and a girl, died on October 1 after battling the suspected illness, while three others, two girls and a boy, reportedly died on October 7.
The deaths have raised concerns about a possible infectious disease outbreak in the household and the risk to other residents of the community, emphasizing the need for prompt investigation and appropriate public health intervention.
When contacted, the Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KNCDC), Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas, said he would investigate the incident and establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Abbas urged residents to report suspected infectious diseases promptly to the nearest health facility and seek medical attention rather than attempting to manage suspected cases at home.
He emphasised the importance of early detection, reporting and treatment in preventing avoidable deaths and containing the spread of infectious diseases such as diphtheria.
The children’s father, Ibrahim Yusuf, appealed to the relevant health authorities to urgently visit the community, investigate the deaths and establish the exact cause of the illness.
He also called for immediate measures to protect surviving family members and other residents from any potential risk of infection.
As of the time of filing this report, health authorities had not publicly confirmed diphtheria as the cause of the five deaths.
The incident has raised urgent questions about the need for prompt disease surveillance, medical assessment of potentially exposed persons and appropriate preventive measures while investigations are ongoing.
Source: Nigerian Tribune