Worst diphtheria outbreak on record spurs $7m federal vaccine response
Australia is facing its largest diphtheria outbreak on record, prompting a federal response with a $7.2 million vaccine initiative. The outbreak has resulted in approximately 230 reported cases this year, with a potential diphtheria-related death. Health authorities are concerned about declining vaccination rates, which may be contributing to the resurgence of this once-eradicated disease.
- ▪The federal government has allocated $7.2 million for additional diphtheria vaccines and health workers.
- ▪There have been about 230 cases of diphtheria reported in Australia this year, with a likely related death.
- ▪The outbreak is primarily affecting the Northern Territory but is also spreading to other states.
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Australia's largest diphtheria outbreak prompts $7.2m federal vaccine blitzBy national health reporter Stephanie Dalzell and the Specialist Reporting Team's Paige CockburnTopic:Respiratory DiseasesThu 21 May 2026 at 1:09pmThu 21 May 2026 at 1:09pmThu 21 May 2026 at 1:09pmThe government has unveiled $7.2 million toward more vaccines and health workers to deliver them. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)In short:The federal government has unveiled a $7.2 million package for more diphtheria vaccines, as it tries to stem the spread of the disease.Diphtheria was once considered almost eradicated, but there have been 230 cases reported this year.What's next?The federal government says it's still determining the exact cause of this…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).