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Observium › Diphtheria

Diphtheria Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks, the mortality rate approaches 10%.

11WHO outbreaks
6,073Cases reported
1103Deaths
7Countries affected

Countries with active outbreaks

  • Nigeria — 3 events, 4,937 cases, 325 deaths
  • South Africa — 3 events, 70 cases, 252 deaths
  • Algeria — 1 events, 70 cases, 252 deaths
  • Mali — 1 events, 70 cases, 252 deaths
  • Bangladesh — 1 events, 804 cases, 15 deaths
  • Afghanistan — 1 events, 50 cases, 3 deaths
  • Thailand — 1 events, 72 cases, 4 deaths

Recent events

  • 2025-11-21T19:00:00Z · Algeria — Diphtheria - African Region (AFRO) · 70 cases · 252 deaths
  • 2025-11-21T19:00:00Z · Mali — Diphtheria - African Region (AFRO) · 70 cases · 252 deaths
  • 2025-11-21T19:00:00Z · Nigeria — Diphtheria - African Region (AFRO) · 70 cases · 252 deaths
  • 2025-11-21T19:00:00Z · South Africa — Diphtheria - African Region (AFRO) · 70 cases · 252 deaths
  • 2023-09-13T18:00:00Z · Nigeria — Diphtheria-Nigeria · 4717 cases
  • 2023-04-27T18:00:00Z · Nigeria — Diphtheria-Nigeria · 150 cases · 73 deaths
  • 2017-12-13T00:00:00Z · Bangladesh — Diphtheria – Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh · 804 cases · 15 deaths
  • 2003-08-29T00:00:00Z · Afghanistan — Diphtheria in Afghanistan · 50 cases · 3 deaths

Frequently asked questions

What is Diphtheria?

Diphtheria is an infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks, the mortality rate approaches 10%.

How is Diphtheria transmitted?

The main transmission routes of Diphtheria are: droplet, contact.

Where is Diphtheria endemic?

Diphtheria is endemic in the following regions: Africa, Asia (low coverage areas).

What is the case fatality rate of Diphtheria?

The typical case fatality rate (CFR) of Diphtheria is 5–10%.

How many active Diphtheria outbreaks worldwide?

Currently 11 active WHO outbreaks reported, with 6073 cases and 1103 deaths in the surveillance window.

Official sources

Observium aggregates real-time data from authoritative sources: WHO Disease Outbreak News, CDC NNDSS, ECDC, Europe PMC, Italian Ministry of Health, ISS, UKHSA, RIVM, RKI, BAG, ISCIII, NICD, and 20+ national sources plus Google News.

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