Infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae; severe outbreaks can cause airway blockage and organ complications.
A wave of NHS maternity reforms is advancing as ministers pledge binding national standards, a maternity commissioner, and measures to end the postcode lottery. The plan follows recent investigations into maternity failings and aims to place patient experience at the heart of NHS metrics.
The diphtheria outbreak in Australia has reached multiple states and territories, with the Northern Territory reporting hundreds of cases and at least one death. Health authorities warn vaccination rates are driving transmission, while Indigenous communities are disproportionately affected. Officials say cases are now decreasing after peaking earlier in 2026.
Andrea Shaw, 23, has been indicted on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her 18-month-old twins, Dallas and Tyson, found dead in their Payette, Idaho, home in May 2025. Prosecutors allege willful suffocation; defense links the deaths to vaccines. Shaw remains held on a $2 million bond as her case moves toward trial.