One student dead as Diphtheria spreads in King’s College Lagos

A Junior Secondary School (JSS) student at King’s College Lagos (KCL) has died following a Diphtheria outbreak in the school.

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The Chairperson of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), Peter Oluwaleye, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday morning that the student, whose name he did not disclose, passed away last week at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

In a statement dated 9 March, Mr Oluwaleye expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and updated parents on efforts to contain the disease’s spread.

“The issue of Diphtheria disease in the College has actually blown out of proportion in some platforms, but the reality is far from the panic,” he noted

“Regrettably, we lost one of our students at the LUTH last week, despite the combined efforts of the family, college management, PTA executives, and hospital staff. It is highly regretted. May his gentle soul rest in peace. Our sincere condolences to the family and the King’s College community.”

While the total number of confirmed cases has not been disclosed, Mr Oluwaleye said there are four suspected cases currently at LUTH, with test results pending.

Parents’ concerns

Parents had earlier raised concerns over the suspected outbreak after reports emerged of multiple students exhibiting symptoms of the bacterial infection.

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They attributed the outbreak to poor sanitary conditions in the school and criticised the management for poorly handling the situation.

The parents urged the federal government to improve infrastructure, especially WASH facilities, teaching quality, teachers/ staff attitude, and educational standards in the college and other colleges across the country.

Meanwhile, in 2023, a similar health scare at King’s College Lagos arose after some JSS1 students reportedly developed blisters and fever, which parents suspected were due to waterborne infections.

However, the school management and PTA dismissed claims of an outbreak, stating that the college’s water sources were well-maintained and routinely treated.

Response Efforts

Mr Oluwaleye, in his statement, acknowledged the student’s death and assured parents that measures had been taken to contain the spread of the disease.

He said prophylactic medication has been provided for students showing symptoms, while representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO) have donated additional medication for 100 patients.

He added that nose masks were distributed to all students, and an isolation centre has been set up within the school premises for suspected cases.

An emergency assembly was held where WHO representatives educated students on Diphtheria prevention and symptoms.

The school has also implemented WHO’s recommendation to establish handwashing stations throughout the premises, with hand sanitisers provided at each point.

He added that the academic calendar had been adjusted, with second-term examinations now set to begin Thursday at the main campus and Friday at the annexe, concluding next week.

The PTA chairman urged parents to remain calm, assuring them that the situation was under control and that the school was working closely with health authorities to manage the crisis.

He also called for prayers and support, expressing optimism that the outbreak would soon be contained.

However, an official of the school management at the JSS section, who did not want to be named, said they were not allowed to speak on such matters as civil servants.

Diphtheria in Nigeria

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that affects the respiratory system and spreads through coughing, sneezing, or direct contact with an infected person. If untreated, it can lead to severe complications or death.

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The outbreak at King’s College Lagos comes amid Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with diphtheria, as reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

Between epidemiological week 19 of 2022 and week 6 of 2025, Nigeria recorded 1,280 deaths and 41,978 suspected diphtheria cases across 350 local government areas in 37 states.

Of these, 25,298 cases (60.3 per cent) were confirmed, 7,769 (18.5 per cent) were discarded, 3,561 (8.5 per cent) were pending classification, and 5,350 (12.7 per cent) were unclassified.