Thousands of migrants are to be vaccinated against diphtheria following the incident
(Picture: Ed Us/Unsplash)A “small number” of diphtheria cases have been confirmed among a group of asylum seekers, officials have said.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the cases had been located at a hotel in the Humber region.
Officials from the UKHSA told the BBC, however, that the risk to the wider public remains “very low” due to high vaccination rates in the UK.
In a statement, UKHSA said: "Whilst we continue to see a very small number of diphtheria cases amongst asylum seekers in the region, the risk of diphtheria to the wider public remains very low as there is a high uptake of the diphtheria vaccine in this country."
The Home Office said that it was aware of cases of people requiring “health interventions” and was liaising with officials from the UKHSA.
A statement read from the ministry said: "We are aware of reports of some people requiring health interventions at accommodation being provided in the Humber area.
“Home Office and UKHSA officials are working with the local services and the accommodation provider to offer all the appropriate support measures."
Diphtheria is a highly contagious infection which can affect the nose, throat and skin.
The infection can be fatal and common symptoms include difficulty breathing and heart failure.
Earlier this month, Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, 31, died at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.
Mr Ahmed had arrived in the UK in a small boat a week prior and was being held at the Manston processing centre in Kent.
An inquest into Mr Ahmed’s death has been adjourned until May 30.
The Home Office had initially said that there was no evidence that he had died from an infectious disease. A follow-up test for diphtheria later came back positive.
