Diphtheria infections on the rise in Britain

The number of diphtheria cases in England has risen this year, health officials said yesterday citing dozens of cases found among asylum seekers arriving into the country but adding that the risk of infection to the wider public remained very low. Data released by the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said there were around 50 cases among asylum seekers who arrived in England between January 1 and November 25, compared with an average of 2 to 11 cases in the country per year over the last decade. Diphtheria is an infectious disease that affects the upper respiratory tract and occasionally the skin. There are vaccines to help protect people against it, health authorities said.