What You Need to Know
On 26 March 2026, the NT Health Centre for Disease Control (CDC) released a public health alert about new cases of diphtheria being recorded in Darwin. The advice given was to:
- Stay alert
- Look out for signs and symptoms
- Follow any advice you get if contacted by the CDC
- Check your vaccination status
UPDATE: 28 May 2026 – Book in For a Booster at DDHS!
The diphtheria outbreak is continuing to spread in the NT, however many people have already started coming in for the best form of treatment at our clinics: vaccination!
Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease. The vaccination is free in the NT through the National Immunisation Program for children at 6 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 18 months, 4 years and 12 years.
Vaccinations at DDHS
Diphtheria vaccinations are now available at DDHS clinics.
Our staff will also be joining with NT Health nurses to provide vaccines in community over the next few weeks. This will include:
- Tuesday 2 June 2026 at Knuckeys Lagoon (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
- Thursday 4 June 2026 at Palmerston Village (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
If you’re unable to attend these mobile clinics, please book in at your local clinic instead.
To book, please call (08) 8942 5400.
Remember, the vaccine is safe and has been around for over 100 years. It is the best way to protect you, your family and the community from diphtheria.
To learn more, please watch the video below:
Signs and Symptoms of Diphtheria
There are two kinds of diphtheria you need to look out for: respiratory diphtheria (lungs) and cutaneous diphtheria (skin).
The signs and symptoms of respiratory diphtheria include:
- Sore throat
- Mild fever
- Loss of appetite (no longer hungry)
- Trouble breathing
The signs and symptoms of cutaneous diphtheria include:
- Sores or ulcers (often on legs)
- Slow healing wounds
Diphtheria can be treated with antibiotics, but the best course of treatment is prevention. Please check if your vaccinations are up to date so that we can stop the spread further into our community.
More Information from CDC
For more information about the current public health alert, please visit the NT Health ‘Health Alerts’ page, or click here: https://health.nt.gov.au/public-health-notifiable-diseases/diphtheria.
For up-to-date information from us, please visit the Danila Dilba Facebook page. To find your nearest DDHS clinic, click through to our Clinic Map.
