Infection figures on the rise in Berlin Diphtheria kills unvaccinated ten-year-old

An unvaccinated boy from Berlin-Spandau succumbed to a diphtheria infection after months of treatment in hospital. The disease is rare in Germany, but the number of cases is rising.

A ten-year-old schoolboy from Berlin-Spandau has died after contracting severe diphtheria. The boy, who had not been vaccinated against the disease, was treated and ventilated in hospital for months.

The news of his death was communicated to the parents of the school community in a letter from the Havelhöhe Waldorf School. In it, the principal expressed his deep sadness and paid tribute to the deceased pupil as a cheerful and warm-hearted member of the community, reports the Berlin newspaper "Tagesspiegel".

Diphtheria, a bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract, is rare in Germany due to high vaccination rates. Nevertheless, the number of cases has risen in recent years, particularly due to migration from countries with lower vaccination rates.

90 percent are vaccinated

In 2023, 136 cases were registered in the neighboring country, while there have been 37 cases so far in 2024, including two in Berlin. The boy who died suffered from the most common form of the disease, pharyngeal diphtheria, which can lead to a dangerous narrowing of the airways.

The disease, once known as the "choking angel of children", can have a mortality rate of up to 50 percent without treatment. Even with early treatment, the mortality rate is around ten percent.

A spokesman for the Potsdam Hospital Association emphasized the danger of the disease, while Berlin paediatrician Jakob Maske stressed the importance of vaccinations. He explained that 90 percent of children in Germany are vaccinated against diphtheria, which curbs the high complication rate of the disease.

The school is planning a memorial service to remember the deceased pupil. The thoughts of the school community are with the boy's family and friends who need support at this difficult time. The case underlines the importance of vaccination to prevent such tragic events.

The editor wrote this article with the help of AI.