Diphtheria outbreak: Vaccine push amid 230 cases across Australia
Getting booster shots into adults in remote communities will be a key focus to combat a serious diphtheria outbreak, the Federal Health Minister says.
A serious outbreak of a disease most developed countries have relegated to the “dustbin of history” occurred despite high children vaccination rates, the government says.
More than 230 diphtheria cases have been recorded across Australia in mostly Indigenous communities in the year to date - about 30 times the usual yearly average.
About 60 per cent of cases of the potentially deadly disease have been in the Northern Territory, with more infections in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.One of Australia’s worst diphtheria outbreaks triggered a $7.2 million federal cash injection to help control the spread as authorities stressed the importance of getting vaccinated.
“Obviously something has gone wrong to have a disease that most developed countries have assigned to the dustbin of history,” Federal Health Minister Mark Butler told ABC Radio National on Friday.
Reasons behind the outbreak would be examined in due course but the focus now was on containing the disease by getting needles into arms, he said.
The funding package covers a surge in medical staff to affected regions and the free provision of vaccines and antibiotic treatments after the outbreak highlighted a shortfall in health workers in remote communities.
Mr Butler said he suspected medical staff shortages, vaccine hesitancy and overcrowding in remote communities may all have contributed to the outbreak but it was too early to reach conclusions.
“Some of the social determinants, they are largely centred on remote and very remote communities where there are issues of overcrowding and sanitation.”
Vaccination rates for children aged under five for diphtheria were still relatively strong, the minister said.
“They are actually higher for First Nations kids than for the general population,” he said, noting a large number of the diphtheria cases were of adults who hadn’t received booster shots.
“We’ve been seeking to reinforce and stress in those communities, particularly through Aboriginal medical services themselves, the importance of getting a booster and maintaining your immunity.”
The updated advice is that adults should get a diphtheria booster every five years, Mr Butler said.
Reports from remote communities indicated a strong response to the vaccination surge, with people understanding the seriousness of the threat and trusting the advice of Aboriginal health workers, he said.
NT Health is waiting on autopsy results for a suspected diphtheria-related death in the territory.
The federal funding package includes $5.2 million for the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre to send extra doctors and nurses into hard‑hit communities and to buy more vaccines and antibiotics.
Another $2 million will go to national Aboriginal community‑controlled health organisations to work with the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT, local services and other groups in the NT and affected states.
That money will support clear health messages, local community workers and day‑to‑day public health work in towns and remote communities where the disease is spreading.
Diphtheria often begins like a bad cold but can quickly turn deadly.
The bacteria produce toxins that can form a thick grey layer in the throat, block the airway and cause suffocation.
About one quarter of patients in the current outbreak have needed hospital care.
