Australia diphtheria resurgence raises alerts for travellers
A diphtheria resurgence in Australia is prompting renewed vaccination campaigns, with travel risk professionals advised to reassess destination health intelligence and ensure pre-travel guidance reflects changing infectious disease patterns
Health authorities in Australia are responding to a widening diphtheria outbreak affecting multiple states and territories, with cases concentrated in regional and remote communities across parts of the country, and at least one death reported in connection with the disease.
Officials say the bacterial infection – long controlled through routine childhood vaccination programmes – is re-emerging in geographically specific areas, with public health responses now focused on targeted immunisation and containment efforts.
The Australian Centre for Disease Control has warned that outbreaks are currently occurring in parts of the Northern Territory, as well as the Kimberley, Goldfields, and Pilbara regions of Western Australia, and the far northwest of South Australia.
In guidance for travellers, the agency stated: “Diphtheria outbreaks are happening in some parts of Australia, especially in regional and remote areas of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia.
“If you are travelling to one of these areas, you should check your diphtheria vaccination status, talk to a healthcare professional if you don’t know when you last had a diphtheria vaccine and about your specific travel plans, and consider getting vaccinated if you have not had a diphtheria vaccine in the past five years.”
Although the outbreak is not currently centred in major tourist hubs, it highlights the need for providers to ensure regional health risks are clearly factored into pre-travel screening, particularly for itineraries involving remote areas with limited clinical capacity.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection affecting the throat and respiratory system, and in some cases the skin.
While the disease is rare in countries with established immunisation programmes, health experts note that booster vaccinations may be required to maintain protection into adulthood.
Alongside the outbreak, public health specialists have raised concerns about misinformation circulating online, with experts warning that declining vaccine confidence since the Covid-19 pandemic may be contributing to lower uptake of routine boosters in some communities.
The outbreak comes amid a broader pattern of recent infectious disease events reported across multiple regions globally.