Communicare supports national response to diphtheria outbreak with new clinical items
June 04, 2026
Australia is currently experiencing its largest diphtheria outbreak in decades, prompting a nationally coordinated response across the health sector.
Working with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), Communicare has released new clinical items to support frontline services.
Diphtheria – a nationally significant outbreak
As of late May 2026, more than 230 cases have been reported nationally, with a sharp escalation from 2025.
Australia’s Chief Medical Officer has declared diphtheria a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance (CDINS), to enable enhanced coordination and targeted support.
The outbreak is disproportionately affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly in regional and remote areas, where over 90% of cases have occurred.
Clinical profile and impact
The current outbreak is presenting with a mixed clinical profile, requiring services to manage both skin and respiratory presentations:
- Cutaneous (skin) infections: over two-thirds of cases
- Respiratory infections: make up around one-third, often more severe
- Hospitalisation: about 25% of cases
- Severity: at least one death has been reported
This mixed clinical profile highlights the need for consistent case classification, diagnosis, and contact management.
ACCHO-led response and NACCHO leadership
The response is being led in close partnership with the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) sector, with NACCHO providing critical leadership. Key actions and priorities include:
- Supporting community-led decision making
- Ensuring responses are culturally safe and locally tailored
- Coordinating vaccination and workforce deployment
- Enabling strong community engagement and outreach
Government and health authorities have emphasised that working with ACCHOs is essential to ensure responses are practical, trusted, and effective in impacted communities.
ACCHO-specific outbreak guidance focuses on:
- Early case identification and testing
- Robust contact tracing and management
- Targeted vaccination strategies, including boosters
- Managing both cutaneous and respiratory disease pathways
- Strengthening infection prevention and hygiene practices
Telstra Health’s Communicare response: New clinical items now available
To support frontline services, in the latest central data update, Communicare has released new diphtheria-specific clinical items:
Conditions
- Diphtheria; colonisation
- Diphtheria; cutaneous
- Diphtheria; respiratory
Procedure
- Diphtheria; identified contact
These items have been designed to improve diagnostic accuracy, support contact management, and enhance reporting and surveillance.
Helping to support improved workflows
To maximise the value of these new items, health services are advised to:
- Disabling the existing ICPC2+ Diphtheria condition
- Enabling the new condition-specific items
This will help improve data quality, enable clearer case differentiation, and align workflows with national and ACCHO-led response requirements.
Supporting the frontline
The introduction of these clinical items reflects Communicare’s ongoing commitment to supporting ACCHOs and frontline services with tools that are aligned to national priorities, clinically meaningful, and fit-for-purpose in real-world care delivery.
Communicare acknowledges the important contribution of Lana Dyda and Nicolle Marchant from NACCHO, whose expertise and collaboration have supported this initiative.
Communicare is proud to stand alongside NACCHO and the ACCHO sector in supporting a culturally safe, clinically robust response to this nationally significant outbreak.