Australia has reported its first diphtheria death in almost ten years as the country battles its worst outbreak of this vaccine-preventable illness in decades. The Northern Territory (NT) declared a diphtheria outbreak in March, with cases also surfacing in Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland. The spike in cases began in late 2025, escalating sharply in February, and this year alone has seen 245 confirmed cases, marking the largest outbreak since 1991, predominantly affecting remote Indigenous communities.
On Tuesday, the health minister of NT announced that autopsy results from an overseas laboratory confirmed diphtheria as the cause of a man’s death in April at Royal Darwin Hospital. This tragic event marks the first diphtheria-related death since 2018. Yahu, it’s alarming, isn’t it? The government has stepped up vaccination efforts in high-risk areas, and, according to health officials, the number of new cases is now beginning to decline. “Our government has taken this situation very seriously, and we are working hard to understand the causes and contain the situation,” NT Health Minister Steve Edgington stated.
Since March 30, the vaccination campaign has already delivered 10,407 doses. Between January last year and May this year, the NT recorded 163 cases of diphtheria, with 48 being respiratory cases and 115 cutaneous cases that spread through skin contact. Can you believe that in March, health officials in Western Australia confirmed two respiratory diphtheria cases? This was the first time in over 50 years that such cases were reported there.
A staggering 60% of this year’s cases are from the Northern Territory, followed by Western Australia with about 36%. There are a handful of cases in South Australia and even fewer in Queensland. The authorities are urging those in affected communities to get their vaccinations updated, particularly teenagers and adults who need booster shots.
Pop-up clinics have been established across Darwin, Katherine, and Alice Springs to raise awareness about the vaccination campaign. Health officials emphasize that vaccines are the “most important measure for preventing, protecting, and reducing transmission.” Both strains of diphtheria, respiratory and cutaneous, can be prevented through vaccination, which typically involves five doses given to children between two months and four years, followed by a booster shot between the ages of 12 and 13.
Respiratory diphtheria usually starts with fever or chills and a sore throat, leading to serious breathing and swallowing difficulties. On the other hand, cutaneous diphtheria presents as infected sores or ulcers on exposed body parts, which heal slowly but rarely lead to severe illness. It’s understood that the last reported diphtheria death before this was in 2018, as reported by ABC.
Just last week, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Prof. Michael Kidd, declared diphtheria a communicable disease incident of national significance. In response to the outbreak, the government announced a AU$7.2 million package dedicated to enhancing vaccination efforts and resources in affected areas.
Bakalım, bundan sonra ne olacak? Gelişmeleri hep birlikte takip ediyoruz…
Kaynak: Orijinal Haber