A man in his early 60s has died from diphtheria in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT), becoming the second person to succumb to the disease in the region this month, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday, the man — who suffered from pre-existing heart conditions and lived in a remote community in Central Australia — passed away at a hospital in Alice Springs, a remote desert town in the NT, on Sunday.
Health officials declared a diphtheria outbreak in the Northern Territory in March, marking the territory’s first recorded outbreak since the 1990s.
The bacterial infection, which can be prevented through vaccination, is capable of causing severe respiratory complications as well as skin infections.
The Australian Center for Disease Control has reported at least 242 diphtheria cases across the country so far this year. Additional outbreaks have also been identified in the states of Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland.
Although diphtheria remains rare in developed nations because of widespread routine immunization programs, infections can still emerge in communities where vaccination rates are lower.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called on Australians to make sure their vaccinations are current, describing it as “the most important thing that people can do.” Health authorities are now advising at-risk adults to receive booster shots every five years, reducing the previous recommended interval of 10 years.
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