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WA health official wants more support to stem 'rare' diphtheria outbreak

ABC Australia · May 23, 2026, 12:32 AM · Also reported by 1 other source

Key takeaways

  • A health worker getting ready to vaccinate patients against diphtheria amid an outbreak in multiple states.
  • WA has vaccinated more than 2,000 people since the diphtheria outbreak began in May, but thousands more remained at risk, especially in remote Indigenous communities.
  • A state communicable disease expert says vaccinations alone cannot stem the spread of the disease, but will ease the severity of symptoms.

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

A health worker getting ready to vaccinate patients against diphtheria amid an outbreak in multiple states. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)

WA has vaccinated more than 2,000 people since the diphtheria outbreak began in May, but thousands more remained at risk, especially in remote Indigenous communities.

A state communicable disease expert says vaccinations alone cannot stem the spread of the disease, but will ease the severity of symptoms.

Article preview — originally published by ABC Australia. Full story at the source.
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