The migrant camp in Kent has been placed under lockdown after an outbreak of the Chinese coronavirus in the former army barracks amidst widespread flouting of the rules by the alleged asylum seekers.
At least 100 of the 400 migrant men housed in the Napier Barracks in Folkestone are believed to have contracted the coronavirus, which the government has blamed on the illegals for failing to abide by social distancing regulations and even refusing to take COVID-19 tests.
The government has not confirmed the exact number of cases in the camp but did state that the camp will be placed under strict lockdown conditions, according to The Guardian.
Chris Philp, the minister for immigration compliance, said: “Despite our best efforts a number of those accommodated at the site have tested positive for coronavirus and are self-isolating.
“It is incredibly disappointing that prior to this a number of individuals refused tests and have been either refusing to self-isolate or follow social distancing rules, despite repeated requests to do so and these being national guidelines to protect the NHS and save lives.
“These individuals could face enforcement action and are not only risking their own health but the health of staff looking after them and the communities who are accommodating them,” Philp concluded.
Just last week, migrants at the camp staged a protest in clear violation of the UK’s coronavirus lockdown measures, which prohibit mass gatherings.
Migrants have frequently protested the supposedly poor conditions of the camp — which used to be home to British soldiers — staging protests, hunger strikes, and even some telling the mainstream media that they “wished they stayed in France“.
Last week a similar protest was staged at the Penally Army Centre near the small Welsh village of Tenby, which was also converted into a migrant camp last year, amidst record waves of illegal boat migration.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who released footage of the protest, remarked: “Now it would appear that one of the reasons for the protest in Tenby is they don’t like the conditions. They say they are entitled to a more normal life.
“They are only entitled to it if their claim for refugee status is successful. But the Home Office committee themselves say that 81 per cent of those come into the country don’t even qualify for asylum because they’ve come already from a safe country.”
On Wednesday, it was announced that the Home Office would relocate all of the migrants at the Penally camp to “suitable dispersed accommodation as soon as reasonably practical”.
The move comes after a law firm secured transfers for 20 supposedly “vulnerable” migrants in the camp.
As of September of last year, there are some 60,548 alleged asylum seekers in the country, all of whom are guaranteed taxpayer-funded accommodations.
The migrants are also afforded a weekly allowance of at least £35.39, as well as access to National Health Service (NHS) healthcare, and taxpayer-funded education for children between the ages of five and 17.
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