Overview
- The Northern Territory declared a diphtheria outbreak in March after cases rose across the NT, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, with national surveillance showing roughly 242 cases so far this year.
- Health officials confirmed on Tuesday that toxicology and overseas laboratory testing show a man who died in Darwin in April probably died from diphtheria, making it the first confirmed fatality in the current outbreak.
- NT Health also clarified that a separate reported death at Alice Springs Hospital was not linked to diphtheria after testing returned negative.
- A recent vaccination blitz put more than 10,000 doses into arms and the federal government committed AU$7.2 million for vaccines, antibiotics and surge staff, and territory officials say weekly case reports have fallen from around 22 at the peak to nine in the past seven days.
- Most infections have been recorded in remote Indigenous communities where residents report testing delays of up to three weeks, overcrowded housing and cultural gatherings that aid transmission, and health services are working with Aboriginal organisations to improve outreach and immunisation.