Jane Kirby

Parents were yesterday reminded to check that their youngsters are fully vaccinated after a child died from diphtheria in London.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said the child was not immunised against the disease, which can cause membranes in the throat to detach and obstruct the airways, causing suffocation.

The child was the first to die from the C. diphtheriae strain in England and Wales since 1994. The HPA said that the few isolated cases seen were usually in unvaccinated people who have travelled to countries where the disease is still common.

The HPA's Professor Peter Borriello said: "It is rare for people to die from diphtheria as severe infection is prevented by immunisation and the majority of children are routinely immunised against diphtheria in the UK.

"We recommend that if people are not up-to-date with their routine immunisations they should contact their GP to arrange them."

Symptoms of diphtheria include a sore throat, fever and swollen lymph glands in the neck.