Health authorities in the Northern Territory are currently awaiting autopsy results to confirm whether a recent death was linked to diphtheria.
If diphtheria is confirmed as the cause, it would mark the first fatality from the disease in Australia since 2018.
The Australian Centre for Disease Control, which is monitoring the situation in the Northern Territory, reports a rise in diphtheria cases across the country since October 2025.
Dr. John Boffa of the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress in Alice Springs informed NITV News that a recent death, involving an Aboriginal individual, is suspected to be due to diphtheria.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been 145 reported diphtheria cases in the Northern Territory. Western Australia has documented an additional 75 cases, mainly in the Kimberley region and primarily affecting the Aboriginal population.
There have also been some cases recorded in South Australia and Queensland.
Dr Boffa said about 95-97 per cent of cases in the NT were amongst Aboriginal people.
NT Health issued a public health alert in April reminding health professionals of the importance of vaccinations.
Diphtheria is a vaccine preventable disease, with the vaccine part of the standard childhood vaccination schedule.
The bacterial disease causes severe inflammation of the nose, throat and windpipe.
It is spread by direct skin contact with people who have infected sores or by coughing and sneezing from people with respiratory diphtheria.
Both respiratory and cutaneous diphtheria have been recorded within the current outbreak.
Since vaccination programs began in Australia in the 1940s, the incidence of diphtheria declined.
A spokesperson for NT Health said vaccination remained the most important measure for preventing, protecting and reducing transmission of the disease.
“NT Health is working with community organisations to undertake a Territory-wide vaccination program to address the outbreak starting with a staged approach focusing on vulnerable people and at-risk areas,” they said.
NT Health urged parents to check their child’s vaccination status with their health care provider to make sure they are up to date with their immunisations and for adults to have a booster shot every 10 years.
The Australian Centre for Disease Control has told NITV it was aware of the investigation into the death and would await the outcome of the NT government’s investigation.