Immigrants With Diphtheria Symptoms to Be Isolated: UK Minister

People thought to be illegal immigrants pass the car of Home Secretary Suella Braverman during her visit to the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent on Nov. 3, 2022. PA

Britain’s immigration minister has told MPs that any immigrants arriving in the country with symptoms of diphtheria will be isolated.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Robert Jenrick said that “public health is paramount” and the government would take “all steps necessary to ensure that the public are protected.”

In his statement Jenrick said that anyone presenting themselves upon arrival to the country with symptoms of the virus would not progress into asylum accommodation. Instead, immigrants would either remain at the Manston processing facility in Kent while isolating, or they would travel to a “designated isolation centre” in secure transport where they will be treated until deemed medically fit.

Echoes of Pandemic Isolation

The isolation centres are similar to those opened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once individuals had recovered, they would be moved to another site.

The minister advised that immigrants who are experiencing symptoms that have already been allocated accommodation in hotels should isolate in their rooms while treatment is provided.

According to Jenrick, all immigrants entering the UK are being offered a vaccine for the virus and its take-up is “increasing.” The government also confirmed that with the assistance of the French authorities, the level of infectious diseases at migrant camps in northern France is going to be assessed.

It’s the latest intervention from a senior minister over the ongoing migrant crisis which has centred around the Manston facility in Kent.

The Conservative government has been heavily criticised for its handling of the situation, even attracting negative comments from its own party.

Former Cabinet minister David Davis accused the Home Office of having a “laissez-faire approach to asylum-seeker dispersal.” The opposition has accused the government of ignoring the issue, with shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper calling on the government to “get a grip” on the situation.

Very Low Risk

Jenrick’s comments come after health secretary Steve Barclay assured the public that the risk of contracting diphtheria was “very low,” following concerns of the infection spreading.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has faced criticism following overcrowding at the Kent site which caused the diphtheria outbreak.

However, government officials have defended the situation. Speaking to ITV, security minister Tom Tugendhat said testing was not easy. “We don’t have a quick test for diphtheria, there isn’t like a COVID test for diphtheria, so what’s been happening is people have been coming over and they’ve been scanned for symptoms rather than tested for the disease, so that’s why it has sometimes taken a little while to present.”

The UK Health Security Agency, which is responsible for protecting communities from contagious diseases, confirmed that there had been an “increase’ in diphtheria cases from immigrants arriving in the country. As of Nov. 25, 50 people, including children, had been identified as contracting the virus, up 11 from the previous report on Nov. 10.

According to the National Health Service, diphtheria symptoms include a high temperature, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing. If the virus remains untreated it can prove fatal.