Authorities in the Territory have reported a fatality, though the specific cause is still under investigation.
“This is likely the most significant diphtheria outbreak we’ve encountered in decades,” remarked Butler during an interview with ABC National Radio today.
“There’s no doubt about the seriousness of the situation,” he added.
Butler noted that “almost all” of the current cases in the Northern Territory involve Indigenous Australians. The government is collaborating with Aboriginal-controlled organizations to boost vaccination efforts within these communities.
Diphtheria was once a leading cause of death among Australian children, claiming the lives of over 4,000 individuals between 1926 and 1935.
However, a widespread vaccination campaign launched in the 1940s nearly eradicated the disease by the 1950s.
Two children in New South Wales caught diphtheria in 2022 but the last death was recorded in an unvaccinated adult in 2018.
Australian children are vaccinated against diphtheria through a series of shots starting at two months old as part of the National Immunisation Program.
Diphtheria is caused by toxins produced by certain strains of Corynebacterium bacteria.
Early symptoms are similar to that of a cold or flu, including a fever and sore throat, but the more severe form of the disease - respiratory diphtheria – causes swelling of the throat and neck which can block the airways and impact breathing.
The bacterial toxin can also damage the heart, kidneys, brain and nerves.
Spread through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing as well as skin sores, it is highly infectious. 
Head of Immunisation and Health Systems Strengthening at Burnet Institute, Dr Milena Dalton, said the scale of the current outbreak was “deeply concerning”.
“This is no longer an isolated outbreak, and it highlights how quickly vaccine-preventable diseases can re-emerge when there are immunity gaps,” she said.
“Diphtheria remains rare in Australia because vaccination works. But this outbreak is a reminder that rare does not mean impossible, and that protection needs to be maintained through timely boosters for adolescents and adults.
“Vaccination and boosters remain our best protection… and they are especially urgent in communities where people face barriers to healthcare.”
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