The death of a child in New South Wales from diphtheria, the first recorded in Australia in over 30 years, has prompted an immediate review of UK health security protocols. The case, confirmed on Tuesday by the New South Wales Ministry of Health, involved a two-year-old who had not been vaccinated against the bacterial infection. The child’s death has raised concerns about vaccine coverage rates in both countries.
Whitehall sources confirmed that the UK Health Security Agency has been instructed to assess current preparedness, particularly given rising vaccine hesitancy. Diphtheria, once a major cause of childhood mortality in the pre-vaccine era, remains endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. The UK’s routine immunisation schedule includes a five-dose course of the diphtheria vaccine, administered from infancy through adolescence.
However, coverage rates have declined in recent years, with only 86% of children in England having received the full course by age five. The Australian incident underscores the risk of imported cases and the consequences of low herd immunity. The UK review will focus on surveillance systems, outbreak response capacity, and public health messaging.
No UK cases have been reported in 2023.
