A person’s demise on the Manston migrant processing centre could have been attributable to a diphtheria an infection, the House Workplace has stated.
Preliminary assessments at a hospital close to the centre in Kent, which has struggled with overcrowding and outbreaks of illness, got here again detrimental – however a follow-up PCR was optimistic.
The consequence signifies that ‘diphtheria could also be the reason for the sickness’, an announcement stated.
The person died in hospital on November 19 after being believed to have entered the UK on a small boat seven days earlier.
The House Workplace has been criticised for overcrowding of the centre and outbreaks of the diphtheria illness. Males regarded as migrants are pictured on the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, November 8
A Authorities spokeswoman stated: ‘Our ideas stay with the household of the person who has died and all these affected by this loss.
‘Preliminary take a look at outcomes processed by an area hospital for an infectious illness have been detrimental, however a follow-up PCR take a look at was optimistic, indicating that diphtheria could also be the reason for the sickness. The Coroner will conclude sooner or later.
‘We take the security and welfare of these in our care extraordinarily significantly and are taking all the obligatory steps following these outcomes.
‘We’re providing diphtheria vaccinations to folks at Manston, which has 24/7 well being amenities and skilled medical workers.’
A autopsy examination and a coroner’s investigation are ongoing.
The House Workplace initially stated there was ‘no proof at this stage to recommend that this tragic demise was attributable to an infectious illness’, with the person being taken unwell a day earlier than dying.
At one level, as many as 4,000 folks have been being detained on the web site, which is designed to carry simply 1,600, however on Tuesday Authorities sources stated the positioning had been emptied.
New arrivals have been anticipated to be taken to the positioning, which is designed for holding folks for brief durations throughout safety and identification checks earlier than they’re moved to lodging.
However some folks have been held for a lot longer durations on account of an absence of different lodging.
Forward of the person’s demise, the UK Well being Safety Company recognized 39 diphtheria circumstances in asylum seekers in England in 2022, as of November 10.
The well being authority warned that lodging settings needs to be thought of ‘high-risk for infectious illnesses’.
House Secretary Suella Braverman has been coming below criticism for the dire situations in Manston, and for failing to gradual the perilous crossings of the English Channel by folks in small boats.
This week she admitted the Authorities has ‘failed to manage our borders’ however blamed determined migrants and folks smugglers for the overcrowding in Manston.
‘I inform you who’s at fault. It’s totally clear who’s at fault. It is the people who find themselves breaking our guidelines, coming right here illegally, exploiting weak folks and making an attempt to cut back the generosity of the British folks. That is who’s at fault,’ she informed MPs.