One in five refugees at emergency centre in Hengelo have coronavirus

The building is home to 100 people. Photo: ANP / Hollandse Hoogte / GinoPress
The building is home to 100 people. Photo: ANP / Hollandse Hoogte / GinoPress

More than 20 of the 100 refugees living in temporary accommodation in a former army barracks in Hengelo have been diagnosed with coronavirus.

The 20 have been moved to other accommodation and the rest of the residents are now confined to the centre in quarantine, RTL Nieuws reported.

At the end of October there was another outbreak at an emergency centre, involving 49 out of 320 residents living in a sports hall in Goes.

The asylum seekers there were tested for the virus on arrival and picked up Covid during their time in Zeeland, local officials said at the time.

A spokesman for refugee settlement agency COA told DutchNews.nl that all refugees are given a coronavirus test on their arrival at the Ter Apel reception centre and offered a vaccination.

There are no other outbreaks that officials are aware of at present, the spokesman said.

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