While some states offer public access to online data concerning disease cases and locations, NT Health does not disclose such specific details.
Reports indicate that several diphtheria cases were identified in Darwin, the Top End, and the Katherine region starting from late February.
Despite this, NT Health delayed issuing a public health alert for what has become Australia’s most severe outbreak of diphtheria until late March.
An NT Health representative explained to nine.com.au that the department initiated a “timely and proportionate public health response” to manage the outbreak effectively.
The representative elaborated that their response involved identifying and treating all cases and close contacts, with vaccinations provided when necessary.
Moreover, NT Health has launched a vaccination campaign aimed at preventing severe illnesses and curbing the spread of the disease within the community.
Vaccination clinics have been set up across the NT and more than 10,000 diphtheria-containing vaccines have been administered over the past seven weeks.
Weekly case numbers have also been declining through the month of May.
“NT Health continues to closely monitor the situation and will adjust its public health response as required to protect the health of Territorians,” the spokesperson said.
NT Chief Health Officer Dr Paul Burgess confirmed earlier this week that the outbreak had spread across all five regions of the NT.
Diphtheria is highly contagious and can cause severe illness and death.
Even with treatment, one in 10 patients die, according to the CDC.
More than 250 diphtheria cases have been reported to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) already, about 60 per cent of them from the NT.
One death has been recorded so far.
Earlier this month, Federal Health Minister Mark Butler announced the federal government is throwing millions at controlling the outbreak.
A spokesperson told nine.com.au the outbreak is of deep concern to the Government.
“We are working closely with affected jurisdictions to ensure a coordinated and effective national response to the diphtheria outbreak,” they said.
“Within a matter of days of receiving a request for help from the NT Government, we started sending additional doses of vaccines to the Territory.
“This package is focused on increasing vaccination coverage, strengthening the health workforce in the NT, and supporting community-led responses in affected regions.”
