The Federal Capital Territory Administration has rejected a viral social media claim linking a reported case of diphtheria in Abuja to the consumption of sliced watermelon.
The FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat said investigations carried out by its Public Health Department and the Abuja Municipal Area Council found no evidence to support the allegation.
The claim was circulated online by Ivan Eagle Lawson alongside a photograph of a man identified as Simeon Okoh, who was presented as a diphtheria victim in Abuja.
But FCT Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, said a multidisciplinary Rapid Response Team visited the location mentioned in the post on Monday to verify the story.
According to her, investigators discovered that the address supplied in the post did not correspond with the road designations in the estate.
Estate management also reportedly could not identify anyone matching the description given in the viral post and said it had no knowledge of the alleged incident.
Fasawe said checks of the FCT diphtheria line list and records at the National Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa also produced no corresponding case.
The investigation, she added, neither established the identity of the man in the photograph nor confirmed that he had been diagnosed with diphtheria.
It also found no evidence linking the alleged illness to watermelon consumption.
Fasawe, however, warned residents not to confuse the debunking of the viral story with an end to the diphtheria situation in the FCT.
She said the territory’s response to diphtheria remained active, with residents urged to promptly report suspected cases.
Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection that can be prevented through vaccination. It is mainly spread through respiratory droplets and direct contact with infected respiratory secretions or skin lesions.
Fasawe said children accounted for most of the cases recorded during the current FCT outbreak, particularly those aged between five and nine years, with many of the affected children reportedly unvaccinated.
She urged parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive routine vaccinations, including the three primary doses of the diphtheria-containing pentavalent vaccine.
Parents whose children have missed doses or have uncertain vaccination histories were advised to visit the nearest primary healthcare centre for assessment and catch-up vaccination.
Residents were also urged to seek medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, sore throat, neck swelling or difficulty swallowing.
Fasawe warned that difficulty breathing requires urgent medical attention, while health workers should immediately notify the relevant disease surveillance officers of suspected cases.
The FCT official also cautioned against spreading unverified health information, saying such claims could cause unnecessary panic and distract from ongoing disease-control efforts.
She urged residents not to stigmatise people, communities or food vendors based on unverified claims, stressing that a photograph alone cannot establish a diagnosis of diphtheria.
The FCT said it would continue surveillance, public awareness and community engagement activities, including door-to-door sensitisation, radio jingles and distribution of health information materials.
Fasawe also warned residents against circulating unverified reports of Ebola outbreaks and advised them to rely on official information from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
Residents seeking clarification on public health concerns can contact the FCT Public Health Department or the NCDC through its toll-free line, 6232.
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