Home Office was told about poor health controls at Manston

Staff at migrant centre in Kent were unsure of how to manage infectious diseases such as diphtheria

THE Home Office was warned four months ago that measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as diphtheria at Manston asylum processing centre were “poor” and staff were ill-prepared to deal with them.

Watchdogs who inspected the site at the end of July said medical staff had no guidance, policy or procedure to manage infectious diseases, months before the current diphtheria outbreak and the death earlier this month of a migrant at Manston who had the infection.

Health officials said yesterday that there had been 50 confirmed diphtheria cases among asylum seekers, up from two nationally last year. The warnings by prison inspectors – given to Home Office officials in a post-inspection briefing – pre-date the surge in migrants over the summer that led to chronic overcrowding at the Manston centre in Kent with 4,000 asylum seekers, 2,500 more than its capacity.

There has been criticism by the Association of Directors of Public Health that the rush to transfer asylum seekers out of the Manston centre has led to the spread of diphtheria, with migrants being moved to hotels without enough notice to health authorities or the necessary checks on their health.

Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, said yesterday that asylum seekers with symptoms of diphtheria would be isolated for a “short period” at Manston, or in designated isolation hotels.

Any asylum seekers who may have the infection but are already in hotels will be told to isolate in their rooms while they are treated.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for England and Wales visited Manston on July 25 to 28. Although there was no evidence of diphtheria, the inspectors reported: “Facilities for the management of detainees with Covid or other infectious diseases were poor.

“Detainees were placed in a claustrophobic [portable building] with no clear responsibility assigned for managing their care. Paramedic staff were unsure of any guidance, policy or procedure for the management of infectious diseases.”

Although the report was only made public in November, these concerns were passed to the Home Office at the end of the inspection, three months before The Telegraph revealed the first cases of diphtheria from Manston on Oct 20. The UK Health Security Agency said there had been an “increase” in diphtheria cases reported among asylum seekers arriving in the UK, with 50 identified as of Nov 25. The figure stood at 39 on Nov 10.

The bulk of the cases – 38 – are in the South East but others have been reported throughout the rest of England where asylum seekers have been moved to hotels. Two victims have been hospitalised, and one Manston migrant has died. An autopsy has yet to establish whether diphtheria was the cause of his death.

All are thought to have contracted the disease either in their home country or en route to the UK before crossing the Channel.

Mr Jenrick said the Government was working with the French to establish the level of infectious diseases in migrant camps in northern France.

Ministers and health officials have insisted the risk of the public getting diphtheria is very low and infections are rare because of high vaccination rates in the UK.

The illness can be fatal if not treated quickly but antibiotics and other medicines are available.