Senegal’s Diphtheria Outbreak Reaches 114 Confirmed Cases and 11 Deaths

Senegal has recorded 114 confirmed diphtheria cases and 11 deaths across 12 of its 14 regions as of 20 September 2026, with the Ministry of Health warning the epidemic is progressing rapidly. The outbreak, first detected in Kédougou in late July, marks the country's first diphtheria epidemic in more than twenty years. A researcher who studied a related outbreak in Guinea explains how the disease spreads, why it kills, and why vaccination gaps are driving its return.