Diphtheria cases among asylum seekers in Britain have risen, as the Home Office said the death of a man held at the Manston processing centre may have been from an infection of the bacteria.
Officials are expected to confirm on Monday that the number of infections has risen to about 50, amid concerns about the spread of the disease as migrants were moved from the Kent facility to hotels around the country.
The government said on Saturday that a PCR test on the man who died after being held, possibly unlawfully, at the centre for a week indicates that "diphtheria may be the cause of the illness."
Initial tests at a hospital near the centre, where Home Secretary Suella Braverman has faced criticism about overcrowding and outbreaks of disease, had been negative.
Public health officials have raised concerns about the spread of thehighly-contagious disease as people were moved from the facility to hotels.
According to the Sunday Times, Jim McManus, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, said: "This situation could and should have been prevented and it is entirely arguable that the lack of information, co-ordination and engagement from the Home Office has made the situation far worse than it could have been.
"It has created additional and preventable burdens on local health systems and has put both asylum seekers and potentially hotel workers at avoidable and preventable risk.
"We want to work constructively and effectively as directors of public health with the government for the good of everybody.
"We offered the Home Office collaboration and our efforts were rebuffed."
The man died in hospital on November 19. He is believed to have entered Britain on a small boat seven days earlier.
As of November 10, the British Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had identified 39 diphtheria cases in asylum seekers in England in 2022.
