Diphtheria cases spiralling in Somalia, health officials warn

MSF says low vaccination coverage and poor living conditions driving spread of deadly bacterial disease

Diphtheria cases are rapidly increasing across Somalia, officials and humanitarians warn, with children accounting for more than 97% of the cases.

Diphtheria, a highly contagious and deadly bacterial disease that mainly affects children, is preventable by a vaccine. While Somalia has improved vaccination rates in recent years, the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) blames the uptick in cases on persisting immunisation gaps.