What are Legionella bacteria? Know how they forced UK govt remove migrants from Bibby Stockholm barge

British government's initiative to put asylum-seekers on a housing barge suffered as Legionella bacteria were found on the barge. Migrants are removed from the Bibby Stockholm barge after traces of the bacteria causing Legionnaire’s disease were found in the onboard water system.

Confirming the move, the UK Home Office said that all 39 migrants onboard the vessel in Dorset would be removed, but it did not say where they would be sent. According to the BBC, one resident of the barge had a soar throat while the other was coughing and complaining of breathlessness.

The British Home Office also said that low levels of Legionella have been found in the water system and the problem is being discussed. On the other hand, UK Health Security Agency has advised that six newly arrived migrants should be disembarked from the vessel moored in the Portland Port. Dorset Council’s environment health team has carried out the investigation. The migrants can be sent back to the barge only after the Legionella virus is removed from the water system.


Criticising the Rishi Sunak government over the development at the Bibby Stockholm barge, Labour's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said that the government has turned itself into a laughing stock. He also said that the government did not complete the safety check on the vessel. He added that the government is in shambles.

Criticising the government, Alex Bailey from the "Say No To The Barge" campaign said that it was "the haphazard way" the government approached the problem from the beginning. Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick is holding a series of meetings with officials of different departments.

Earlier, defending the scheme to put the asylum-seekers on the barge till the verdict comes, he said that there was ‘no menu of options’ for the asylum-seekers seeking government-funded help.

What are Legionella Bacteria?

Legionella bacteria are found in lakes and ponds, but they can also develop in tanks and other water systems. They cause an infection called, Legionnaires' disease. When people breathe in water contaminated with the bacteria, they get infected. Once these bacteria reach the lungs, they cause pneumonia.

FAQs:

Q1. Why the asylum-seekers were removed from Bibby Stockholm?
A1. The asylum-seekers were removed from the Bibby Stockholm barge after Legionella bacteria causing a pneumonia-like disease called Legionnaires' disease were found in the onboard water system.

Q2. What is the government's policy on asylum-seeker migrants?
A2. The government’s policy is to put the asylum-seekers on board the Bibby Stockholm barge till the verdict on asylum comes. It was adopted to cut the cost of putting the migrants in hotels.