Diphtheria, a severe bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, is re-emerging as a public health threat in many parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Despite significant progress with vaccination, which reduced global cases from nearly one million annually before the 1980s to less than 10,000 in 2021, pockets of low vaccination coverage have led to a resurgence. In Nigeria, an outbreak confirmed in late 2022 and peaking in 2023 has become a major public health emergency, with the country accounting for a significant number of cases.
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