Fed: Typhoid outbreak in immigration camps

AAP General News (Australia)
02-01-2001
Fed: Typhoid outbreak in immigration camps

CANBERRA, Feb 1 AAP - Six people are being treated by doctors after an outbreak of
typhoid in two detention camps for illegal immigrants.

The Department of Immigration yesterday revealed six cases of typhoid had been identified
at the Curtin detention camp in Western Australia and at Woomera in South Australia's
outback.

Five of the cases were at Curtin and one at Woomera. Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock
said all involved recent arrivals.

Mr Ruddock said the risk of a typhoid outbreak had been assessed as low by medical staff.

"Nonetheless, three people were hospitalised and the three others are under constant
observation and are being treated by doctors at the centres," he said.

News of the outbreak came as Mr Ruddock said asylum-seekers in detention camps had
only themselves to blame for a looming crackdown that will open the door to greater use
of injected sedatives.

The government is considering widening the powers of detention centre staff to quell
violence following the second riot in a week at camps in Western Australia.

Mr Ruddock said detention centre staff needed stronger powers to subdue detainees,
including legal powers to inject powerful sedatives, and illegal immigrants had only themselves
to blame.

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International called for the government to promise only
qualified medical staff would have access to chemical restraints.

AAP rft/cjh/de

KEYWORD: RIOT DAYLEAD

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