The tragic death of a man at a migrant processing centre may have been caused by diphtheria, the government admitted after previously called reports of an outbreak 'exaggerated'.
A man died at Manston migrant processing centre in Kent in the weeks after it emerged the centre was massively overcrowded.
It was previously reported that the centre had suffered an outbreak of the infectious disease but the Immigrations Minister Robert Jenrick claimed the reports were overblown.
It is believed the man entered the country on a small boat just seven days before he died on November 19.
The NHS describe diphtheria as ‘rare’ in the UK despite being ‘highly contagious’ - it can be prevented by vaccination.
Initial tests at a hospital close to Manston, came back negative but a follow up PCR was positive. The results, the Home Office said, indicate that “diphtheria may be the cause of the illness” a statement said.
This was despite them government department initially saying there was ‘no evidence’ the man had died as result of an infectious disease.
A post-mortem examination and a coroner's investigation are ongoing.
Manston, at one point, held as many as 4,000 people despite being designed to hold just 1,600 detainees - it was confirmed to have been emptied earlier this week.
Manston is only designed to hold people for short periods of time during security and identity checks before they are moved to accommodation.
But some people were held for far longer due to a lack of alternatives within the system.
Maston’s overcrowding speaks to growing pressures internally on the British immigration system as the number of small boat crossings continue to rocket - continuing a trend post-Brexit.
Some of the people at Manston were due to be moved to Harmondsworth detention centre, near Heathrow, but this was emptied too after it lost all power and running water, leading to a night of chaos.
Evacuating both and spreading the thousands of people across the rest of the system will only add pressure throughout.
Prior to the man’s death, the UK Health Security Agency identified 39 diphtheria cases in asylum seekers coming to England this year.
They warned that the detention centres where they are held is a ripe ground for spreading the infectious disease.
This comes as Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been coming under fire for the dire conditions in places like Manston, and for failing to slow migrant crossings of the English Channel.
She was recently left stumped by a senior Tory MP who asked her to explain how an orphan from an African country could make an asylum claim in the UK.
Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham left the Home Secretary stumbling over her words when he challenged her over the lack of legal routes to the UK fuelling the staggering rise in small boat crosses.
This week Braverman admitted the Government has "failed to control our borders" but blamed migrants and people smugglers for the overcrowding in Manston.
A Government spokeswoman said: "Our thoughts remain with the family of the man who has died and all those affected by this loss.
"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.
"We take the safety and welfare of those in our care extremely seriously and are taking all of the necessary steps following these results.
"We are offering diphtheria vaccinations to people at Manston, which has 24/7 health facilities and trained medical staff."
