San Diego County migrant shelter flu outbreak doubles
San Diego County migrant shelter stepping up protocol amid flu outbreak
Posted: 4:03 PM, May 24, 2019
Updated: 1 hour ago
By: Cassie Carlisle
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SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - The San Diego County migrant shelter is stepping up protocols Friday after officials announced the number of cases of migrants with flu-like symptoms doubled in 24 hours.
A plane full of migrants landed at Lindbergh Field Friday around 1:15 p.m. The concern Friday is the flight may have more sick migrants.
Border Patrol officials stated migrants are given a health screening in Texas before they travel to San Diego, and are screened again once they land.
County Health officials say when they screened 47 migrants at their downtown shelter, they found 13 migrants with flu-like symptoms. A total of 29 migrants have been diagnosed with the flu since May 19, officials say. Twenty-four migrants are currently quarantined.
RELATED: County responds to flu outbreak at shelter, linked to Texas migrants flown to San Diego
"This is a new situation to us and I'm told it could get much worse," County Supervisor Dianne Jacob said.
Once off the plane, the migrants who crossed illegally in Texas and flown to San Diego are taken to a Border Patrol Facility to be processed by ICE.
Eventually, they end up at the shelter. There they get another health screening and starting Thursday, everyone gets a mask and Tamiflu pill as a precaution to keep the sickness from spreading.
As of Friday, extra nurses are coming into the shelter to check on the group and ensure no one else has come down with the flu.
Those who are diagnosed go with their families to a hotel that has individual air units, so they don't spread the virus. They are educated on why they should stay in the room and, if they leave, what precautions to take so they don't infect others.
Migrants in the shelter can come and go as they wish.
Border Patrol stated migrants who exhibit flu-like symptoms are not allowed to fly and instead are given medical treatment in Texas. Border Patrol also said agents closely monitor detainees throughout the trip.
The state dedicates $30,000,000 to migrant shelters, according to County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher's Office.
https://www.10news.com/news/local-ne...d-flu-outbreak
