There was a “targeted action of vaccination” at the Manston migrant processing centre and 500 people were given a jab for diphtheria before they were moved into the wider community, the health secretary has said.
Steve Barclay insisted the risk of an outbreak to the UK population was “low” after health officials raised concerns that some migrants were moved from the site in Kent to other parts of the country while suffering from the illness.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious infection caused by bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which produces a toxin that makes people ill.
Sky News revealed a man who died after staying at Manston had the disease, and there have been dozens of suspected cases of diphtheria among those who have left the facility in recent weeks, according to The Sunday Times.
Mr Barclay was asked if authorities knew there were diphtheria cases at Manston, which was recently emptied following severe overcrowding issues.
Speaking during a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, he said: “We vaccinated a range of people amongst them before they were moved, so that was part of the targeted action that the UK HAS (Health Security Agency) put in place.”
Mr Barclay was pressed on the risk to the public if people left Manston without being screened, as has been suggested.
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He said the risk is “very low, partly because there’s very high uptake of vaccination within the British public in the first place”.
He added: “But also we had a targeted action of vaccinations at Manston and so 500 people were vaccinated before they actually left Manston.
“And it’s something that UK HSA are monitoring extremely closely and that’s why they took the targeted action that they did.”
The NHS says diphtheria is rare in the UK because babies and children born in the country have been routinely vaccinated against it since the 1940s.
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But some health officials have voiced concerns that the Home Office is being reckless in allowing the migrants to be sent around the country without being properly screened.
Professor Jim McManus, head of the Association of Directors of Public Health, told Sky News: “We learned with Afghan refugees that the Home Office and directors of public health can work together very constructively to address the health issues of refugees.
“Sadly, that hasn’t been the case this time and as a result we’ve seen preventable diseases spread across the country, harming refugees and costing us much more than preventing them would have done. To say this is regrettable is an understatement.”
Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, has called on her government counterpart Suella Braverman to “urgently confirm” whether she has made sure everyone who was at Manston has now been screened or vaccinated for diphtheria, and whether local councils and public health teams have been informed of every possible local case.
At the peak of the overcrowding crisis earlier this month there were around 4,000 people being held at the former military base, despite its capacity to hold just 1,600.
“Home Office ministers have failed to clear the asylum backlog and failed to plan or work with local councils,” Ms Cooper said.
“Suella Braverman ignored both serious health advice and repeated legal warnings about Manston. She failed to act.
“She now needs to make sure proper public health arrangements are in place, get the backlog cleared and explain why she did not act sooner to avoid this chaos.”
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As of 10 November, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had identified 39 diphtheria cases in asylum seekers in England in 2022. But it is understood cases had risen to about 50 in an update on Friday.
Diphtheria cases are usually expected to isolate, along with any contacts.
On Monday, a Downing Street spokesperson said the government is working closely with health professionals and local councils “to make sure all medical guidance and the robust protocols are followed”.
The spokesperson added: “We have contingency plans, you’ll know that those who are accommodated in these sites are offered the vaccination.
“At Manston they have 24/7 health facilities and trained medical staff on hand I think it’s important to emphasise to the public the low risk, particularly given vaccination rates for diphtheria high amongst the UK population.”
