Thousands of migrants passing through the Manston processing center will be vaccinated against diphtheria after dozens of cases of the highly contagious disease were confirmed in England, health authorities said.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it is moving with the Home Office to vaccinate migrants at the center after it revealed on Friday that 39 cases of diphtheria had been identified in asylum seekers in England in 2022 from November 10.
UKHSA warned that accommodation should be considered “high-risk for infectious diseases”.
The agency said that in many cases the disease was contracted abroad and brought to the UK and stressed the need to take steps to “minimise the risk of further transmission”.
Sky News obtained public health documents showing growing concern about the spread of the disease in housing used to house asylum seekers.
The note, sent by UKHSA to the Home Office and public health directors, states that the risk to the public is considered very low.
It increases the risk of diseases such as diphtheria and scabies in processing centers and in the homes of asylum seekers and says the cases could put pressure on local health services.
“Many of the individuals passing through Manston Immigration Centre come from countries with disrupted health services, low vaccination rates and a high prevalence of infectious diseases,” the note says, reported Sky.
Information for housing staff said: “We are seeing an increasing number of infections in people who have come to the UK to seek asylum,” reported Sky.
Sky News understands there are concerns about possible outbreaks in Swindon, Sheffield, Kent, Birmingham, Hertfordshire and Greater Manchester.
Vaccines and antibiotics are recommended.
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, UKHSA’s deputy director of public health programmes, confirmed that work is being done with the Home Office to roll out vaccines and antibiotics in Manston.
“The UKHSA has been working closely with the Home Office at the Manston Reception Centre where there have been a number of cases of diphtheria and other infections. We recommend that diphtheria vaccination and antibiotics are offered to people at the centre and all those who have moved on recently. This is currently being operationalised and we are working with the Home Office and the NHS to make this happen,” he said, reported Sky.
According to Sky, a Home Office spokesman said: “We are aware of a very small number of cases of diphtheria reported at Manston. Full medical guidance and protocols have been followed.”
Meanwhile, an agreement between the UK and France on Channel crossings is expected next week.
A provisional total of arrivals for 2022 had been 39,913 before the weekend, but more people arrived in the UK on Saturday for the first time this month after a spell of bad weather.
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