Sporadic cases of diphtheria in Malaysia

There have been 14 sporadic cases of diphtheria reported in certain localities in Malaysia, including Malacca, Kedah (1 death), and Sabah (3 deaths).

Advice

The risk for the general traveller is very low. However, travellers are reminded that cases of the highly contagious diphtheria can occur almost anywhere in the world at any time. Travellers can reduce their risk of exposure to the highly contagious diphtheria by ensuring that their childhood vaccinations, including diphtheria (DPT), are up-to-date prior to travelling.