Refugee Watch – by Ann Corcoran
This latest disease is not one that immediately comes to mind like TB and HIV/AIDS that we usually hear about. BTW, American readers should know that even our “screened” refugees are permitted entry into the US with TB and HIV.
From Outbreak News Today (never heard of it, but maybe it is time to follow this news site!). Story titled: ‘Europe reporting imported cutaneous diphtheria in refugees’
People are fleeing certain African and Middle Eastern countries in large numbers and many are headed to the countries of Europe. In fact, one report notes that about 5,000 people flee Eritrea each month, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN refugee agency.
One of the things that can come from refugees and asylum seekers are infectious diseases contracted in their home country.
Europe is currently reporting cases of cutaneous diphtheria in asylum seekers to several countries to include Denmark, Sweden and Germany. To date, nine cases have been reported by the three nations.
The disease is contagious and can be deadly. More problems and expense for Europe’s socialized medical system.
Go here for our ‘Invasion of Europe’ archive. And, for new readers, you should know that we have a ‘health issues’ category, here(with 278 previous posts on health problems of refugees).