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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Sam Blewett

Asylum seekers ‘contracted diphtheria overseas’ despite overcrowding, says minister

Manston Disease Mark Harper Home Office NHS
The dozens of asylum seekers who have contracted diphtheria had the highly-contagious disease before arriving in the UK, a Cabinet minister has said after the death of a man held at the Manston processing centre (Gareth Fuller/PA) (Picture: PA Wire)

The dozens of asylum seekers who have contracted diphtheria had the highly-contagious disease before arriving in the UK, a Cabinet minister has said after the death of a man held at the Manston processing centre.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper insisted the infections present an “extremely low risk” to the wider public despite migrants being moved from crowded facilities to hotels around the country.

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