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Diphtheria in Palermo: Investigation Launched After Girl's Death

Following the death of a four-year-old girl, a cousin tested positive for diphtheria, prompting increased vaccinations.

22 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Diphtheria in Palermo: Investigation Launched After Girl's Death — Archive photoPhoto: User:Dileepunnikri · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

In Palermo, after the death of a four-year-old girl, a hospitalized cousin has tested positive for diphtheria. The health director reported that the child is clinically improving, raising some concern among family members and the medical community.

In the wake of this dramatic event, there has been a surge in vaccinations, with numerous families visiting vaccination centers. One center has already run out of stocks of the hexavalent vaccine due to the high influx of people eager to get vaccinated.

The Provincial Health Authority (Asp) has launched an epidemiological investigation to trace the chain of contacts and identify the index patient. Already, about twenty relatives of the deceased girl have received vaccinations to prevent further contamination.

Infectious disease specialist Cascio expressed concern about a possible outbreak of diphtheria, emphasizing the importance of identifying the initial patient. Nevertheless, he stated that currently, the risk of spread is minimal.

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