Australia is facing its largest outbreak of diphtheria in decades, with more than 220 people reported infected.


Government sources reveal that the country's northern regions have been affected most severely, Caliber.Az reports citing Australian media.


Authorities say the main reason behind the spread is a decline in vaccination rates, citing data that shows the coverage of routine childhood vaccinations, including protection against diphtheria, has been falling for the fifth consecutive year. 


The government in Canberra is now preparing a package of measures aimed at expanding vaccination campaigns, with Health Minister Mark Butler describing the situation as “very concerning,” stressing the scale of the outbreak. Estimates suggest the number of cases is roughly 30 times higher than the average recorded over the past five years.


“If we consider that we have been keeping national statistics for around 35 years, this is certainly the largest diphtheria outbreak during the entire observation period,” he said.


Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial disease that affects the respiratory tract or skin and spreads through airborne droplets or contact with contaminated surfaces. Despite treatment with antibiotics, severe cases carry a fatality rate of around 10 per cent.


The disease had been considered virtually eradicated in Australia since the 1950s thanks to wide-ranging immunisation campaigns. The current outbreak has hit Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory particularly hard, where shortages of medical personnel are also being felt.


According to the World Health Organisation, around 89% of infants globally – about 115 million – received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine in 2024, and 85% – roughly 109 million – completed all three doses. While this represents an increase from 2023, nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of DTP-containing vaccine last year, including 14.3 million “zero-dose” children who never received a single dose of any vaccine.


Health organisations recorded a worldwide blackslide regarding vaccination levels caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While diphtheria coverage seems to be on track for improvement, WHO has warned that the same cannot be said for the measles vaccine, which has also caused outbreaks in recent years worldwide.


By Nazrin Sadigova