Arabic version: بيانات مسربة تكشف عن زيادة في حالات الدفتيريا قبل التحذير العام في الإقليم الشمالي

Leaked data has revealed that diphtheria cases surged in the Northern Territory a month prior to a public health alert being issued by NT Health. This information offers new insights into the timing and severity of the outbreak, which is now recognized as Australia’s worst recorded instance of diphtheria.

According to ABC News, the internal data showed that a few diphtheria cases were noted in early January. However, a significant increase in cases began occurring weekly across Darwin, the Top End, and the Katherine region starting in the last week of February. The public alert from NT Health was not issued until March 25.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler noted that the Northern Territory government only sought assistance from the Commonwealth in late April, well after the surge in cases had been documented. The current outbreak has raised concerns about the response time and transparency of NT Health, particularly in contrast to other states like Western Australia and Queensland, which provide public data on health issues.

NT Health has confirmed the authenticity of the leaked data but stated it was not meant for public distribution. The department has faced criticism for its lack of detailed reporting on the outbreak, with Chief Health Officer Dr. Paul Burgess acknowledging the widespread nature of cases but failing to provide specific regional data.

As the outbreak continues, NT Health has reported one diphtheria death in the NT since the outbreak began. In response to the rising case numbers, both Territory and Federal governments have initiated a wide-scale vaccination campaign, with over 10,000 individuals vaccinated in recent months. The Australian Centre for Disease Control reported more than 260 diphtheria cases nationwide this year, with 159 cases in the Northern Territory.