Man who died after staying at Manston migrant processing centre had diphtheria
Manston, in Kent, is designed to hold up to 1,600 people for no more than 24 hours, but earlier this month there were about 4,000 on site. There has been widespread criticism of the conditions, with outbreaks of diphtheria and scabies reported.
A man who died after staying at the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent did have diphtheria, the Home Office has confirmed.
A government spokesperson said initial local hospital tests were false negatives, and follow-ups showed that diphtheria may have been the cause of the man's illness.
Post-mortem examinations are ongoing, meaning the official cause of death cannot yet be confirmed.
The man died in hospital last Saturday after becoming unwell.
It is understood he travelled to the UK by small boat and had been staying at the Manston centre in Kent.
The Home Office had initially said there was "no evidence at this stage" to suggest the death was "caused by an infectious disease", with people at the centre vaccinated against diphtheria after dozens of cases were confirmed.
The Refugee Council said it was "deeply concerning that people seeking safety were ever subjected to the appalling, inhumane conditions at Manston, where they were clearly not given adequate support and attention".
-sky news
