Diphtheria cases monitored ‘closely’

THE Health Secretary has insisted the risk of the public getting diphtheria is “very low” despite an expected rise in infections recorded among asylum seekers. Steve Barclay said hundreds of migrants were vaccinated against the contagious disease before being moved out of the Manston processing centre in Kent to hotels around the country, but stressed the situation was being monitored “closely”. Diphtheria cases among asylum seekers in England are thought to have risen to around 50 so far.