Australia Battles Worst Diphtheria Outbreak in Decades

Summary

Australia is facing its worst diphtheria outbreak in decades, with 245 cases since last year—mostly in remote Indigenous communities—and the first death since 2018 confirmed in the Northern Territory. The government is urgently ramping up vaccination efforts, deploying pop-up clinics and investing over $7 million to boost coverage, especially among teens …

Show notes

Australia is facing its worst diphtheria outbreak in decades, with 245 cases since last year—mostly in remote Indigenous communities—and the first death since 2018 confirmed in the Northern Territory. The government is urgently ramping up vaccination efforts, deploying pop-up clinics and investing over $7 million to boost coverage, especially among teens and adults who need boosters. Health officials warn both respiratory and skin forms of the vaccine-preventable disease are spreading, and Chief

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