Roughly 1,000 African migrants who are staying at a camp in Malta have been placed under quarantine after an outbreak of the Chinese COVID-19 virus was found to have occurred at the camp.
The camp, situated on the south end of the island at Hal Far, was surrounded by police and army on Sunday to make sure those in the camp adhere to the quarantine measures, news agency Reuters reports.
During a press briefing, Malta’s Minister of Health Chris Fearne said that a total of eight COVID-19 cases had been confirmed within the camp in just two days and that a risk assessment showed that the virus may have spread of several other migrants.
Fearne also noted that the eight individuals who were found to be infected with the virus had been placed in isolation, while the rest of the migrants living in the camp are to be quarantined for a period of two weeks.
“This is not racial discrimination. Quarantine orders are issued to anyone who tests positive and the people around them,” the Health Minister said.
