Unvaccinated 10-Year-Old Dies of Diphtheria in Brandenburg

The boy's death highlights low adult vaccination rates and the importance of booster shots in preventing the rare but dangerous disease.

A 10-year-old boy from Brandenburg died in January after contracting diphtheria, a vaccine-preventable disease, while unvaccinated.
The child had been hospitalized for months, suffering from complications including heart inflammation before passing away on January 27.
Vaccination rates in Brandenburg show a stark contrast: 94% of children are immunized, while only 68.6% of adults have received the recommended vaccines.
Health experts stress the importance of booster vaccinations every ten years, noting that many adults neglect these critical updates.
Brandenburg reported a small number of diphtheria cases in recent years, with 11 cases in 2023 and 5 cases in 2024, underscoring the disease's rarity but potential severity.