NHS acts to reduce risk of diphtheria and TB spreading from migrants

Health bosses have been given until 4pm today to draw up plans to vaccinate the region's recently-rehomed asylum seekers for diphtheria, amid fears some could also have tuberculosis or MRSA, picked up in the government's overcrowded migrant centre at Manston, Kent.

But vaccination or treatment could be hampered because some have already moved multiple times since arriving in the region and because the Home Office did not notify local agencies in advance.

Diphtheria and TB are highly infectious diseases transmitted by sneezing or coughing and spread particularly easily in unclean or overcrowded conditions.

Experts say the infection risk for the wider UK population, which is well immunised, is low.

But since these diseases are so rare, there is concern a presenting patient might be misdiagnosed and go on to infect others, because GPs or 111 call handlers would have no idea to be on the lookout for such diseases in the area.

Twenty-six people seeking asylum were transferred from the Yarl’s Wood detention centre in Bedfordshire, after a stay at Manston, to the Rose and Crown Hotel in Wisbech over the weekend.

An unknown number of migrants were also transferred into hotels in Norwich and Great Yarmouth last week, as home secretary Suella Braverman took action to alleviate conditions at Manston, which was housing around 4,000 people - more than double its capacity.

But according to several sources, the Home Office did not give prior warning to local authorities, local health chiefs, or even hotel staff, and local councils and agencies are now scrambling to catch up and provide health and social support.

The migrants were not health screened before their move so given recent outbreaks in Kent, the Home Office has now ordered the NHS to draw up immediate plans for diphtheria vaccinations.

But five of those moved to the hotel in Wisbech have already moved out, causing concern among local officials about any health screening attempts now being put in place.

Asylum seekers are technically free to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements but are supposed to keep the Home Office informed.

Those migrants staying in Yarmouth were due to receive screening for TB last week - only to have it postponed when health services grew concerned they needed to test for a broader range of illnesses.

Finding hotel accommodation for migrants and those seeking asylum has become an urgent priority since last week’s firebombing of a Dover facility left Manston, the UK's primary migrant processing centre, severely overcrowded.

One resident told of having to sleep on the floor with 130 men to a large tent and being prevented from going to the toilet, taking a shower or going outside for exercise.

Local NHS chiefs have been warned the list of infections identified in the crowded camp includes MRSA, diphtheria, TB, hepatitis, scabies, and skin lesions.

To alleviate overcrowding and the spread of disease the Home Office has placed some migrants in hotels around the country without the usual preparatory liaison with local officials, leaving other bodies playing catch-up.

Statements issued by the UK Health Security Agency (successor to Public Health England), and by both Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridgeshire NHS, all began "We have recently been made aware of the placement of asylum seekers in North East Cambridgeshire" in a coordinated and thinly-veiled rebuke towards the Home Office.

Dr Jorg Hoffmann of UKSHA added that the public health risk to the local community is extremely low and should an outbreak of an infection develop within the group of asylum seekers, UKSHA will provide advice on containing and treating it.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "The Home Office liaises with UKHSA regarding suspected diphtheria and infection cases to safely move individuals to more appropriate accommodation to support their safe isolation.

"Prior to this, we ensure a hotel can aid in the isolation and that the local Health Protection team to which they are being transferred is notified. To suggest they aren’t is wrong.

"We engage with local authorities as early as possible whenever sites are used for asylum accommodation and work to ensure arrangements are safe for hotel residents and local people."

Earlier this week Fenland District Council applied for an injunction over the housing of migrants in Wisbech, arguing the location is unsuitable and unable to support their needs.