Australia Confirms First Diphtheria Death Since 2018 Amid Worsening Outbreak

Australia has recorded its first diphtheria death since 2018 as the country faces its largest outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease in decades, Lana Lam reported for BBC News.

Australia’s diphtheria outbreak has affected remote communities.

The Northern Territory declared an outbreak in March, with additional cases reported in Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland. Health officials said infections began rising in late 2025 and surged in early 2026.

This year, 245 cases have been recorded, marking the largest outbreak since 1991, with many cases concentrated in remote Indigenous communities.

Authorities confirmed that a man who died in April at Royal Darwin Hospital tested positive for diphtheria following post-mortem analysis conducted overseas.

Health officials have expanded vaccination campaigns in affected regions, reporting more than 10,000 vaccinations administered since late March, as case numbers begin to stabilize.