The British government announced today, Friday, that it has moved migrants from a barge less than a week after they were settled there following the discovery of legionella bacteria in the water supply aboard the vessel. A spokesperson for the Home Office stated, "Environmental samples from the water system on the (barge) Bibby Stockholm showed levels of legionella bacteria that require further examination." They added, "As a precautionary measure, all thirty-nine asylum seekers who arrived at the barge this week are being removed while further tests are conducted."
The discovered bacteria in the barge's water supply can cause Legionnaires' disease, a lung infection that the UK's National Health Service describes as uncommon but "very serious." The government noted that no symptoms of the disease have been reported among individuals on the barge and that they are working closely with the Health Security Agency, following its advice in line with public health measures.
Britain began relocating migrants to the large Bibby Stockholm barge off its southern coast at the beginning of the week as part of its strategy to deter asylum seekers from reaching the country. Opinions on this policy are divided; ministers claim they aim to provide basic accommodation, not luxury, to help reduce costs, while human rights advocates label the provision as inhumane.
