‘Deeply concerning’ diphtheria outbreak spreads

Health officials are ‘very concerned’ about Australia’s largest diphtheria outbreak in decades, as cases of the potentially deadly infection continue to spread across the nation.
 
So far this year, 133 cases of diphtheria have been reported in the Northern Territory, 79 in Western Australia, six in South Australia, and two in Queensland.
 
That is compared to less than 40 cases in the entirety of 2025.
 
The NT Government is also investigating reports of a possible diphtheria death.
 
On Tuesday, Federal Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler said, ‘there’s no question this is serious’.
 
‘I was in Alice Springs a couple of weeks ago meeting with the Aboriginal Medical Service for the Northern Territory, they’re obviously deeply, deeply concerned,’ he told ABC Radio National.
 
‘We’re working with the NT Government and the Aboriginal-controlled sector to get more vaccines there, but we’re also working with the NT Government about other things that we can do to help them.’
 
RACGP Vice President and WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman is now urging GPs across Australia to remain vigilant as the infection continues to cross borders, including into her home state.
 
‘It’s concerning that we’re seeing these cases now in Australia with this significant and quite unusual resurgence of the diphtheria cases,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘For GPs and clinicians, it’s an important reminder to be vigilant, not only for respiratory diphtheria, but also for cutaneous diphtheria, which is skin-related, especially those who may have infected skin wounds or ulcers, and it’s something we need to really keep on top of.
 
‘Diphtheria is something many Australians thought belonged to another era of medicine, but the reality is that vaccine-preventable diseases can return, particularly when continuity and immunisation gaps emerge.’
 
The impacted jurisdictions’ health departments have each issued diphtheria and public health alerts, including offering advice to healthcare professionals.
 
Historically, diphtheria was a leading cause of childhood death globally – more than 4000 Australians died from the infection between 1926–35 before vaccination started in the 1930s.
 
Around 93% of Australian five-year-olds have now received all recommended doses of the diphtheria vaccine.
 
Dr Milena Dalton, the Burnet Institute’s Head of Immunisation and Health Systems Strengthening, said there is now an ‘urgent’ need to spread the message that diphtheria is preventable.
 
‘This is no longer an isolated outbreak, and it highlights how quickly vaccine-preventable diseases can re-emerge when there are immunity gaps,’ she said.
 
‘This outbreak is a reminder that rare does not mean impossible, and that protection needs to be maintained through timely boosters for adolescents and adults.
  
‘The fact that this outbreak is affecting Aboriginal communities points to the need for a rapid and culturally safe public health response. That means working with Aboriginal community-controlled health services, trusted local leaders and frontline workers to make testing, treatment and vaccination as accessible as possible.’
 
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