The Imo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Chioma Egu, has debunked circulating social media reports alleging that a student of Technical Training College (TTC), Irete, in Owerri West Local Government Area, recently died from diphtheria.
In a statement made available to Hobnob News, Dr. Egu described the viral video claims as “misleading and entirely unfounded,” stressing that investigations by the Ministry of Health revealed no evidence linking the medical case in question to diphtheria or any communicable disease outbreak.
“The case being sensationalised online is not related to diphtheria but is a suspected, yet unconfirmed case of malignancy,” the Commissioner clarified.
Dr. Egu disclosed that experts from the Department of Public Health were immediately deployed to the school upon receiving the report. Their swift intervention, she said, followed standard public health response protocols, including preliminary investigations and active surveillance.
“Our team has found no indication of a diphtheria outbreak in the school or anywhere within Owerri West LGA,” the Commissioner emphasized. “Parents, guardians, and the general public are assured that there is no cause for alarm. The situation is under control.”
The Health Ministry also used the opportunity to caution against the harmful effects of spreading misinformation, particularly in sensitive settings like schools.
“The Ministry strongly warns against the spread of unverified and misleading narratives,” Dr. Egu stated. “Misinformation can fuel unnecessary panic and undermine the efforts of our dedicated health professionals.”
She reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to maintaining public health safety across the state and encouraged residents to rely only on verified information from official government channels.
