Victorian disease rips through major country as travel warning issued - 'worst in decades'

Diphtheria cases are on the rise in Australia [FILE] (Image: Getty Images)

Australia is battling its worst diphtheria outbreak in decades, with more than 230 cases reported this year and one confirmed death, prompting urgent travel warnings for unvaccinated Britons. Health authorities declared the highly contagious bacterial infection a “Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance” on May 22, 2026.

Australia’s chief medical officer, Professor Michael Kidd AO, stated: “This is the largest outbreak since national records began in 1991.” Cases began rising steadily in late 2025 before surging sharply from February. The majority have been recorded in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, with additional infections in South Australia and Queensland.

Diphtheria: Expert on dangers and symptoms of infection

The outbreak has hit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities particularly hard.

A man died in April at Royal Darwin Hospital, with laboratory tests confirming diphtheria as the cause this week – the first such death in a decade.

While most recent cases have been mild, officials stress the disease can be serious or fatal, especially in children, if not treated promptly.

Diphtheria was widespread in the 19th century, when was one of the most feared and devastating global killers, earning terrifying nicknames like the Strangling Angel and the Children’s Plague.

spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, or by direct contact with infected skin sores.

Symptoms include a sore throat, fever, swollen neck glands (giving the characteristic “bull neck” appearance), and a thick grey-white coating in the throat. Skin infections can cause ulcers and blisters.

Symptoms include a sore throat, fever, swollen neck glands (Image: GETTY)

UK travellers are being urged to ensure their vaccinations are up to date before visiting Australia.

The government’s TravelHealthPro service website states: “Diphtheria is still a risk for unvaccinated travellers to countries where the uptake of diphtheria containing vaccines is low.”

In Britain, diphtheria is rare thanks to routine childhood immunisation since the 1940s, delivered via the 6-in-1 vaccine and teenage boosters.

However, uptake of the Td/IPV teenage booster (protecting against tetanus, diphtheria and polio) has fallen 15% since 2018, leaving over a quarter of 14- to 16-year-olds unprotected.

The National Pharmacy Association has warned that declining vaccination rates could lead to more outbreaks of preventable diseases.

Pharmacies are calling for greater involvement in delivering childhood jabs to boost coverage.

Australian authorities have launched a coordinated response, including a $7.2 million funding package for vaccination drives, antibiotics, and community outreach. New case numbers are now falling, officials said.

NHS advice is clear: check vaccination status with a GP before travel. Boosters may be needed if the last dose was more than 10 years ago. Diphtheria remains a risk in parts of Africa, South America, India, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe.