Research and analysis

Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, 2022 to January 2024

An increase in cases of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae has been identified among asylum seekers arriving into England in 2022 and 2023.

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Diphtheria is a rare disease in the UK due to the highly successful routine vaccination programme, with 2 to 11 annual cases reported in England over the past decade.

There has been an increase in cases of toxigenic C. diphtheriae reported among asylum seekers in England during 2022, with similar increase in cases reported in Europe since June 2022.

From March 2024 we will revert to publishing diphtheria case numbers, including cases among asylum seekers, in our annual diphtheria health protection report. All reporting mechanisms are reviewed on an ongoing basis and are subject to change.

Published 28 November 2022
Last updated 6 February 2024 + show all updates
  1. Updated monthly data tables to include January 2024 data.

  2. Updated monthly data tables to include December 2023 data.

  3. Updated data tables to include November 2023 data.

  4. Updated data tables to include October 2023 data.

  5. Updated monthly data tables to include September 2023 data.

  6. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, monthly data tables' to include August 2023 data.

  7. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, monthly data tables' to include July 2023 data.

  8. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, monthly data tables' to include June 2023 data.

  9. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, monthly data tables' to show data by month.

  10. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 9 May 2023.

  11. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 24 April 2023.

  12. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 9 April 2023.

  13. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 27 March 2023.

  14. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 13 March 2023.

  15. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 27 February 2023.

  16. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 12 February 2023.

  17. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 30 January 2023.

  18. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 16 January 2023.

  19. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 9 January 2023.

  20. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 2 January 2023.

  21. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 19 December 2022.

  22. Updated 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables' with data as of 12 December 2022.

  23. Added 'Diphtheria: cases among asylum seekers in England, weekly data tables'. Data to 4 December 2022.

  24. First published.