Diphtheria - number of reported cases in Africa (WHO region)
Africa (WHO region): Diphtheria - number of reported cases was 20,261 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
20,261
Change on year
up 30.0%
Rank
3rd
of 11 groups
All-time high
20,261
in 2025
All-time low
1
in 2014
Years of data
46
1980–2025
Diphtheria - number of reported cases in Africa (WHO region), 1980–2025
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for diphtheria - number of reported cases in Africa (WHO region) is 20,261, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 46 years on record.
The figure is up 30.0% on the previous year and up 1,125.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, diphtheria - number of reported cases in Africa (WHO region) peaked at 20,261 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1, in 2014.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Diphtheria - number of reported cases in Africa (WHO region), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 8,771 | — |
| 1981 | 2,764 | -68.5% |
| 1982 | 4,618 | +67.1% |
| 1983 | 4,099 | -11.2% |
| 1984 | 5,135 | +25.3% |
| 1985 | 5,060 | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 2,625 | -48.1% |
| 1987 | 1,558 | -40.6% |
| 1988 | 2,925 | +87.7% |
| 1989 | 6,009 | +105.4% |
| 1990 | 2,588 | -56.9% |
| 1991 | 2,995 | +15.7% |
| 1992 | 2,869 | -4.2% |
| 1993 | 2,357 | -17.8% |
| 1994 | 1,439 | -38.9% |
| 1995 | 229 | -84.1% |
| 1996 | 2,282 | +896.5% |
| 1997 | 117 | -94.9% |
| 1998 | 931 | +695.7% |
| 1999 | 226 | -75.7% |
| 2000 | 4,038 | +1686.7% |
| 2001 | 2,587 | -35.9% |
| 2002 | 941 | -63.6% |
| 2003 | 216 | -77.0% |
| 2004 | 23 | -89.4% |
| 2005 | 54 | +134.8% |
| 2006 | 351 | +550.0% |
| 2007 | 17 | -95.2% |
| 2008 | 72 | +323.5% |
| 2009 | 10 | -86.1% |
| 2010 | 50 | +400.0% |
| 2011 | 13 | -74.0% |
| 2012 | 27 | +107.7% |
| 2013 | 128 | +374.1% |
| 2014 | 1 | -99.2% |
| 2015 | 1,654 | +165300.0% |
| 2016 | 2,870 | +73.5% |
| 2017 | 118 | -95.9% |
| 2018 | 1,971 | +1570.3% |
| 2019 | 11,400 | +478.4% |
| 2020 | 5,387 | -52.7% |
| 2021 | 4,724 | -12.3% |
| 2022 | 4,856 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 18,684 | +284.8% |
| 2024 | 15,583 | -16.6% |
| 2025 | 20,261 | +30.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4,356 | 1,558 | 8,771 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,603 | 117 | 2,995 | 10 |
| 2000s | 830.9 | 10 | 4,038 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,823 | 1 | 11,400 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11,582 | 4,724 | 20,261 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa (WHO region)
More health data for Africa (WHO region)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 12,202 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 20,261 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 20,578 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 179,400 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, annual growth rate -8.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, annual growth rate 160.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, annual growth rate 23.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases 179,400 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases 12,202 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases 20,578 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is diphtheria - number of reported cases in Africa (WHO region)?
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases in Africa (WHO region) was 20,261 in 2025, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest diphtheria - number of reported cases recorded in Africa (WHO region)?
- The highest recorded value was 20,261 in 2025.
- What is the lowest diphtheria - number of reported cases recorded in Africa (WHO region)?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 2014.
- How does Africa (WHO region) rank for diphtheria - number of reported cases?
- Africa (WHO region) ranks 3rd out of 11 groups with data for 2025.
- Is diphtheria - number of reported cases rising or falling in Africa (WHO region)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,125.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa (WHO region) data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Diphtheria - number of reported cases. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).