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A migrant who died at an arrivals processing center on the south coast of England was suffering from diphtheria, the UK Home Office has said.
Initial tests at a hospital near the Manston Center in Kent, which is struggling with overcrowding and disease outbreaks, came back negative but a follow-up PCR was positive.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious infection that affects the nose, throat and sometimes the skin.
The results suggest “diphtheria may be the cause of the illness”, the Home Office said.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased and all those affected by this loss,” a government spokesman said.
“Initial test results processed by the local hospital for infectious disease were negative, but a follow-up PCR test was positive, indicating that diphtheria may have been the cause of the illness. A coroner will be completed in due course.
“We take the safety and welfare of those in our care extremely seriously and are taking all necessary action following these findings.”
A diphtheria vaccination will be given to any new arrivals at Menston, the spokesman said.
The man, whose name and nationality have not been released, later died in hospital on November 19. He is believed to have entered the UK in a small boat seven days ago.
The National Health Service says it is rare in the UK and can be treated with antibiotics and other medicines.
At one point, up to 4,000 people were detained at the site, which is designed to hold 1,600, but on Tuesday UK government sources said the site had been evacuated.
New arrivals are taken to the site, which is designed to house people for a short period of time, while security and identity checks are carried out before they are moved to other accommodation.
Some people have been held for long periods due to lack of alternative accommodation.
The Home Office has not said whether it is taking steps to limit the spread of diphtheria elsewhere, with migrants being moved from Manchester to hotels across the country.
Before the man’s death, the UK Health Security Agency had identified 39 cases of diphtheria among asylum seekers in England in 2022, as of November 10.
The health official warned that housing settings should be considered “high risk for infectious diseases”.
Updated: November 26, 2022, 2:37 PM
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