Australia is grappling with the worst outbreak of diphtheria in decades.
More than 220 people have already been infected, with the north of the country particularly hard hit. The main reason for the spread is a sharp drop in vaccination rates, the broadcaster ABC reported on Wednesday, citing the government in Canberra.
New figures show that the rate of routine childhood vaccinations, which includes a basic immunization against diphtheria, has fallen for the fifth year in a row. The authorities are now preparing a support package to expand vaccination campaigns.
Health Minister Mark Butler described the outbreak as "very concerning".
"To put that in context, we've been recording case numbers nationally for about 35 years, and this, by a very big distance, is the biggest outbreak of diphtheria we've ever seen."
The number of cases is around 30 times higher than the average over the past five years.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infectious disease. The respiratory form can affect the nose, throat and airways, whilst so-called cutaneous diphtheria affects the skin. It spreads through droplet infection when coughing or sneezing, or through direct contact with infected wounds.
Despite antibiotics, around 10% of patients with severe respiratory symptoms die, according to health authorities.
The disease had been considered virtually eradicated in Australia since the 1950s.
Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory have been particularly affected by the outbreak, with a shortage of health care staff in the region.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), around 16,600 cases of diphtheria were reported worldwide in 39 countries in 2018. By far the highest number of cases was in India.
