Cluster Coronavirus Infection Found In Asylum Seeker Shelter

Eight of the new coronavirus cases detected yesterday have been traced back to a cluster infection within a shelter for asylum seekers in Hafnarfjörður, Fréttablaðið reports.

The first infection was detected on Tuesday, with another detected on Wednesday. In light of this, it was decided to take samples from everyone, and six more cases were detected from this. Everyone there has now been tested, but it has not yet been disclosed how many people are now in quarantine as a result.

The infected have been moved to special isolation quarters in Reykjavík, in cooperation with Civic Protection and Hafnarfjörður municipal services, an announcement from the Directorate of Immigration states.

Fréttablaðið has been amongst those who have reported that residents of the asylum seeker shelter at Grensásvegur in Reykjavík have gone public about living conditions at the shelter. Residents who have come forward have said that they are living in crowded and unsanitary conditions.

This has, unfortunately, been an issue for a very long time. The Grapevine reported in 2016 that residents of many asylum seeker shelters have fewer rights than prisoners.

For their part, the Directorate of Immigration has stated that renovations are currently being done at the shelter at Grensásvegur, and that photos and videos of a room in the shelter that have appeared in the media has been taken out of use.

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