A man’s death at the Manston migrant processing centre may have been caused by a diphtheria infection, the Home Office has said.
Initial tests at a hospital near Manston, Kent, which has struggled with overcrowding and outbreaks of disease, came back negative – but a follow-up PCR test was positive.
The result indicates that ‘diphtheria may be the cause of the illness’, the statement said.
The man died in hospital on November 19 after being believed to have entered the UK on a small boat seven days earlier.
A post-mortem examination and a coroner’s investigation are still ongoing.
The Home Office has been criticised for overcrowding of the centre and outbreaks of the diphtheria disease. Men thought to be migrants are pictured at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, November 8
The man died after becoming ill at the Manston migrant processing centre (pictured). The facility has since been emptied following severe overcrowding and multiple breakouts of the diphtheria disease
A Government spokeswoman said: ‘Our thoughts remain with the family of the man who has died and all those affected by this loss.
‘Initial test results processed by a local hospital for an infectious disease were negative, but a follow-up PCR test was positive, indicating that diphtheria may be the cause of the illness. The Coroner will conclude in due course.
‘We take the safety and welfare of those in our care extremely seriously and are taking all of the necessary steps following these results.
‘We are offering diphtheria vaccinations to people at Manston, which has 24/7 health facilities and trained medical staff.’
At one point, as many as 4,000 people were being detained at the Manston site, which is designed to hold just 1,600. A man thought to be a migrant is pictured at the facility on November 8
The Home Office initially said there was ‘no evidence at this stage to suggest that this tragic death was caused by an infectious disease’, with the man being taken ill a day before dying.
At one point, as many as 4,000 people were being detained at the site, which is designed to hold just 1,600, but on Tuesday Government sources said the site had been emptied following the overcrowding and diphtheria outbreaks.
Those at the migrant centre were moved to hostels and other accommodation.
The site was intended to hold people for short periods during security and identity checks before being moved to longer-term accommodation.
But some people were held for far longer periods due to a lack of alternative accommodation.
Ahead of the man’s death, the UK Health Security Agency identified 39 diphtheria cases in asylum seekers in England in 2022, as of November 10.
Members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (pictured driving away from the facility) visited the Manston immigration short-term holding centre earlier this month
The health authority warned that accommodation settings should be considered ‘high-risk for infectious diseases’.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been coming under criticism for the dire conditions in Manston, and for failing to slow the perilous crossings of the English Channel by people in small boats.
This week she admitted the Government has ‘failed to control our borders’ but blamed desperate migrants and people smugglers for the overcrowding in Manston.
‘I tell you who’s at fault. It’s very clear who’s at fault. It’s the people who are breaking our rules, coming here illegally, exploiting vulnerable people and trying to reduce the generosity of the British people. That’s who’s at fault,’ she told MPs.
Earlier this month, the total number of migrants who crossed the English Channel surpassed 40,000, with the figure estimated to hit 50,000 by the end of the year.
The number of migrants arriving at the UK by small boats has significantly increased this year. It is estimated that a total of 50,000 will have come to the UK by the end of the year
It was also revealed this week that the total number of asylum seekers receiving taxpayer-funded support topped 100,000 for the first time.
Home Office data showed 100,547 were getting Government aid at the end of September – up from less than 69,000 a year earlier.
Most receive free accommodation and a subsistence allowance of £40.85 a week for each person in their household, unless they get meals provided by the taxpayer.
Figures also showed the number of new asylum applications rose to 72,027, covering 85,902 people when dependants such as children and spouses are included.
The total, driven by small boat arrivals from northern France, was nearly double the previous year’s total and the highest since 2003.
Meanwhile, the Home Office’s asylum backlog has soared by more than 21,000 in three months to 148,533.
Of those, 143,377 cases were awaiting an initial decision, and more than 5,000 were ‘pending review’.