Diphtheria cases in regional WA and Mid West residents urged to get vaccinated against the disease

Cases of diphtheria have been reported in regional WA, with Mid West organisations urging community members to make sure they are vaccinated. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection that can affect the nose, throat, airways or skin. In severe cases, respiratory diphtheria can obstruct breathing, and the toxin can cause life-threatening complications including heart and nerve damage. Cases have been reported in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields. As of Monday, there have been no reported cases in the Mid West or Gascoyne, but medical professionals are still encouraging residents to be aware and get vaccinated. The WA Country Health Service have issued a health alert for regional WA, but a spokesperson said the risk to the broader WA community was currently considered to be low. They urged anyone who has recently travelled to the Kimberley, Goldfields or Pilbara to immediately seek medical attention if they have a sore throat, or skin sores that are not healing. “Vaccination is the most effective protection against diphtheria. Ensuring you and your family are up to date with vaccinations, including booster doses for teenagers and adults, is key to preventing severe illness,” the spokesperson said. The Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Health Medical Service posted on social media on Tuesday with information about the disease and how to prevent it. “The diphtheria vaccine has been around for more than 100 years,” the post stated. The disease is highly contagious and transfers through liquid when you breathe in after someone standing close to you has sneezed or coughed. Symptoms usually appear in the form of a sore throat, mild fever and chills, with more severe cases developing into swollen airways. Vaccination rates in Australia are high, with more than 90 per cent of the nation’s children vaccinated since 2000, and 94 per cent of five-year-olds fully jabbed in 2023. On Thursday, the CDC said 230 cases of diphtheria had been reported in 2026, with the Federal Government confirming the outbreak as the “biggest since national record keeping began”. The CDC reports outbreaks happening “in some parts of Australia, especially in regional and remote areas of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia”. Australian Medical Association president Danielle McMullen said, “immunisation is one of the greatest achievements in modern medicine”, but falling vaccination rates were giving diseases thought to have been extinct “a comeback”. “We are seeing that risk play out with diphtheria, and it is a timely reminder for Australians to check they are up to date and to talk to their usual GP if they have questions,” Dr McMullen said. The Federal Government announced a $7.2 million response package on Thursday that will cover the cost of extra vaccines and a surge in workforce who will help health officials give booster vaccinations and treatments to people in vulnerable areas.