Death at Manston migrant centre may have been diphtheria, Home Office says

A man’s death at the Manston migrant-processing centre might have been caused by diphtheria after an outbreak of the highly contagious bacterial infection, the Home Office has said.

Initial tests at a hospital near the centre in Kent, which has struggled with overcrowding and outbreaks of disease, came back negative – but a follow-up PCR was positive.

The result indicates that “diphtheria may be the cause of the illness”, a statement said, after dozens of cases were identified among asylum seekers earlier this month.

The man died in hospital on 19 November after he was believed to have entered the UK on a small boat coming across the English Channel seven days earlier.

The Manston facility has been at the centre of controversy since thousands of migrants were detained at the site – designed to host people for up to 24 hours only – for several weeks.

A government spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the family of the man who has died and all those affected by this loss.”

They added: “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.”

More than 4,000 asylum seekers had been held at the processing facility in Kent earlier this month despite its maximum capacity being only 1,600.

But the government announced earlier this week that the site was empty after thousands of migrants were moved into hotels.

The transfer of people into hotels has been helped by a lull in instances of migrants crossing the English Channel, but calmer weather is expected to see the arrival of more asylum seekers at the site.

Detention Action and the PCS union have sent a pre-action legal letter to home secretary Suella Braverman on behalf of a woman held at Manston “beyond statutory time limits”.

They allege her detention was unlawful on the basis of “inhuman or degrading treatment” through poor conditions, violating detention policy, a lack of privacy and obstacles to communication with relatives and lawyers.

James Wilson, Detention Action deputy director, said potentially thousands of people “may be legally entitled to compensation for their mistreatment at Manston”.

Earlier in November, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed it was working with Home Office officials to vaccinate against diphtheria at Manston and provide antibiotics.

The UKHSA said 39 cases of the infection had been found in asylum seekers in sites in England during 2022, describing accommodation centres as “high risk for infectious diseases”.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick insisted earlier this month that those at Manston found to have diphtheria had arrived in the UK already infected.

On 1 November the minister said reports of diphtheria, MRSA and scabies incidents at the centre had been “exaggerated”.

The government said it took the welfare of those in its care “extremely seriously” and was taking “all of the necessary steps” after seeing the initial results from the man who died.

A spokesperson added: “We are offering diphtheria vaccinations to people at Manston, which has 24/7 health facilities and trained medical staff.”