Asylum seekers spent 4 days on board the Bibby Stockholm barge after Legionella micro organism was found, it has emerged.
Dorset Council says Home Office contractors had been notified in regards to the outcomes final Monday – however all 39 migrants solely left the controversial web site on Friday as a “precautionary measure”.
The council went on to assert {that a} Home Office workers member was knowledgeable in regards to the micro organism on Tuesday.
However, a authorities supply has instructed Sky News that there isn’t any report of this dialog – and claimed that the Home Office solely obtained a written notification in regards to the Legionella on Wednesday night.
Legionella micro organism may cause a probably lethal lung an infection generally known as Legionnaires’ illness. It is contracted by individuals inhaling droplets of water containing the micro organism.
None of the migrants on the barge have proven any signs of the illness, in response to the Home Office.
Ministers are going through questions on who was knowledgeable in regards to the Legionella take a look at outcomes and when.
Sky News has pieced collectively a timeline of when Legionella micro organism was discovered on the barge, and the way lengthy it took earlier than these migrants on board had been evacuated.
Tuesday 25 July
Dorset Council’s environmental well being division takes water samples from the Bibby Stockholm barge and sends them to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for testing in its environmental lab facility.
The assessments usually take not less than 10 days to finish.
Monday 7 August
Initial take a look at outcomes are obtained by Dorset Council – the identical day the primary 15 asylum seekers board the Bibby Stockholm.
Dorset Council mentioned it knowledgeable CTM and Landry & Kling – the businesses contracted by the Home Office to function the barge – that very same day.
A spokesperson mentioned it was not the council’s accountability to inform the Home Office in regards to the Legionella, as this fell to the contractors.
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Tuesday 8 August
Dorset Council’s atmosphere well being workforce meet the barge’s contractors “to further discuss results”. The council mentioned a Home Office official was “verbally informed of the test results”.
A authorities supply instructed Sky News there was no report of that dialog.
A small variety of asylum seekers additionally arrive on the boat the identical day.
Wednesday 9 August
Dorset Council officers go to the barge once more to take additional samples and “concern about control measures” immediate it to alert the UKHSA.
The UKHSA confirmed it was contacted by Dorset Council on Wednesday night.
Sky News has been instructed that the primary written notification to the Home Office was additionally that night.
Thursday 10 August
The UKHSA convenes an “incident management meeting” between Dorset Council, the Home Office and the contractors, in addition to representatives from the NHS.
The assembly concludes no extra passengers ought to be allowed to board the vessel whereas a danger evaluation is carried out.
Those suggestions are later confirmed in writing to the Home Office.
A second incident administration assembly and danger evaluation takes place within the afternoon.
The authorities mentioned it was suggested by the UKHSA to take away the six individuals who had boarded the barge that day.
A choice to take away all 39 people as a “further temporary precaution” was not taken till the subsequent day.
Friday 11 August
Asylum seekers should not evacuated from the barge till Friday – 4 days after Dorset Council says it knowledgeable the barge contractors in regards to the Legionella take a look at outcomes, and three days after it mentioned it instructed a Home Office workers member.
Dorset Council mentioned it adopted “the appropriate technical guidance throughout on what to do when a positive Legionella sample is received”.
One of the barge’s contractors, Landry & Kling, mentioned it was “working closely with local authorities to ensure housing solutions are safe and appropriate for service users”.
Landry & Kling mentioned it and its undertaking companions “have followed all written recommendations made by Dorset Council Environmental Health”.
Sky News has contacted the Home Office to ask when officers had been made conscious of the take a look at end result and when ministers had been instructed.
A spokesperson beforehand mentioned the well being and welfare of these on board the vessel “is our utmost priority”.
Source: information.sky.com”