Eight migrants who disembarked in Sicily this week after being rescued in the Mediterranean by a charity boat are in quarantine after testing positive for coronavirus, the group Mediterranea said.
The eight migrants were part of a group of 43 people aboard the humanitarian vessel Mare Jonio who disembarked at the Sicilian port of Augusta on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Mediterranea said in a statement that health authorities had informed them of the positive results, adding that the individuals represented no risk for the wider population as they were in quarantine, along with the remaining migrants and the crew.
Seeking to quell worries about the infected migrants in Sicily, the mayor of Noto, in the island’s lower tip, said the migrants were being quarantined about 20 kilometres (12 miles) outside of town.
“There should be no concern for our community because no possible contact will be allowed,” said Mayor Corrado Bonfanti.
