Millions thrown at controlling nation's worst outbreak of rare and fatal infection

The federal health minister has thrown millions of dollars at trying to get the worst outbreak of diphtheria in Australia's recorded history under control.

Mark Butler confirmed there have been 230 cases of the rare bacterial disease reported so far this year, with about 60 per cent being in the Northern Territory and the remaining in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.

Almost half of the cases are occurring in adults aged between 25 and 44.

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"The number of cases we've reported since the beginning of 2026 is about 30 times the average we've seen over the last five years, and that number continues to increase," Butler said at a press conference today.

"This is a very serious outbreak of a very serious disease."

Diphtheria is highly contagious and can cause severe illness and death.

Even with treatment, one in 10 patients die, according to the Australian Centre for Disease Control.

Butler said the federal government will provide $7.2 million to increase the number of nurses to administer vaccinations and boost culturally safe communications after receiving a request from the Northern Territory government and the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector.

"We are throwing everything we can at this to get it under control as quickly as possible," he said.

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Diphtheria is rare in Australia but occurs overseas and could have been brought into the country.

It is also easily spread in communities with low vaccination rates.

Butler said that while there has been a global decline in vaccination rates since the COVID-19 pandemic, it was too early to assign a cause for the recent outbreak.

"There are a whole range of social determinants in remote communities that sometimes drive some of these infectious disease outbreaks as well, but I think we need to examine that closely in time," he said.

Butler added that the focus right now was boosting vaccination rates.

"It's important we control it, but it's also important that people get vaccines into their arms in affected areas as quickly as possible because at the end of the day, that is the most effective way to protect yourself and those around you," he said.

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"The success of childhood vaccination for diphtheria is, I'm told, really the reason why this outbreak is not causing serious issues for very young members of those communities."

Pharmacists have urged all Australians to check their diphtheria vaccination status.

"We know significant numbers of people are not up to date for their boosters," Pharmacy Guild of Australia national vice president Simon Blacker said.

Diphtheria is spread through respiratory droplets (which leave the mouth while talking, coughing or sneezing) or direct contact with the wound.

Symptoms include mild fever, sore throat, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing and neck swelling.

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