First Diphtheria Death in Australia Since 2018 Confirmed in NT
27 May 2026
The patient passed away at Royal Darwin Hospital in April. The cause of death was officially confirmed this week after autopsy results were returned from an overseas laboratory.
The death comes during the largest diphtheria outbreak recorded since national surveillance began in 1991.
So far in 2026, NT Health has reported 163 diphtheria cases, including infections affecting the throat and skin. Western Australia has also recorded 92 cases this year, while smaller outbreaks have been reported in Queensland and South Australia.
In response, the Federal Government recently announced $7.2 million in funding to support vaccination programs, community education and outbreak control measures in the Northern Territory.
Pop-up vaccination clinics have been set up in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs, along with a mobile vaccination service in Central Australia. More than 10,000 vaccine doses have been given since late March.
Health officials say the number of new cases is now declining, but vaccination remains a key focus, particularly in higher-risk communities.
Diphtheria was once a major cause of childhood deaths in Australia but became rare after widespread vaccination programs were introduced in the 1940s.
The vaccine is recommended for children at two, four, six and 18 months of age, at four years, and again during adolescence. Booster doses are also recommended for adults, especially those at increased risk of exposure.
First Diphtheria Death in Australia Since 2018 Confirmed in NT
Source: RACGP newsGP