Plans to quarantine migrants on ship will go ahead despite tender delay

Plans to quarantine migrants on a vessel at sea will go ahead despite delays to the plan after one of the bidders filed an appeal during the tendering process, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said.

Camilleri said the government is still seeking this option even though it will cost taxpayers thousands a day. Camilleri said the cost was of secondary importance.

He said migrants will be quarantined on board the vessel until they test negative for COVID-19. “Migrants who will test negative following this preventive period will then be transferred to the centres,” he added.

He also confirmed that the Red Cross will be providing health services on board the ship, but the government will be on standby to provide other support if it is required.

Camilleri pointed out that Italy was also in a similar situation and had taken the same approach.

At the end of July, the government had issued an expression of interest to lease a vessel to accommodate migrants held in quarantine.

Last week the decision was made to exclude COVID-19 positive migrants from the island’s figures following discussions with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

It is unclear how many migrants have tested positive for COVID-19, and what percentage have recovered from the virus. However, last week the figure stood at 173 cases.