Swine flu confirmed at Miami immigration detention center

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-9303-Miam...Swine-flu-confirmed-at-Miami-detention-center

Swine flu confirmed at Miami detention center
June 13, 1:30 PM ?

Yesterday?s confirmation of three cases of swine flu at Miami's Krome immigration detention center has prompted US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to suspend social visitation and halt acceptance of new detainees at least through the weekend, Krome is a temporary detention center for individuals waiting for their immigration status to be determined or who are awaiting repatriation. ICE Detention & Removal Operations (DRO) administers the operations of this facility.

Names and nationalities of the infected inmates were not released, but they are among 16 who developed flu-like symptoms this week. according to an AP report quoting ICE spokeswoman Nicole Navas. In order to prevent the spread of the disease, all 19 are being treated with anti-virals in an area separate form the almost 550 detainees in the main population.

ICE operates a number of other detention centers in South Florida, but not all are secure enough to accept detainees accused of crimes as Krome does.

Krome detainees will still be able to have non-contact visits with their lawyers, and can speak with family and friends via telephone. No workers at Krome have tested positive for the H1N1 virus but one guard has flu symptoms, said Matthew Brooks, president of Local 527 of the American Federation of Government Employees in the same AP article.

According to yesterday?s (June 12) update from the CDC, there have been 417 confirmed swine flu cases in Florida and 17,855 across the country. No deaths have been reported in Florida.
The disease has affected about 29,000 people in 74 countries during the current outbreak.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Swine flu confirmed at Miami immigration detention center

Source: http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/h1n1-virus-miami-ice-employee-infant-confirmed

H1N1 VIRUS IN MIAMI ICE EMPLOYEE INFANT CONFIRMED
Posted June 23rd, 2009 by AFGE

June 18, 2009

AFGE stresses concern for family of infected child; worries about safety of other employees

(MIAMI)â??The American Federation of Government Employees today expressed concern for the family of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent whose 19-month-old infant recently was confirmed as having contracted the H1N1 flu virus. The agent is an employee at the Krome Service Processing Center in Miami, which has six confirmed cases of the virus.


â??We are deeply concerned about this baby and offer full support to our fellow ICE employee,â?� said Matthew Brooks, president of AFGE Local 527, which represents workers at Krome. â??This child is an innocent victim in what could be a very serious game that ICE is playing with its employees.â?�


AFGEâ??s National ICE Council 118 for weeks urged ICE officials to provide its personnel with N-95 masks, in addition to training and information on dealing with the H1N1 virus. ICE on Saturday, June 13 finally did outfit its personnel at the Krome facility with masks, but only after confirming four cases of the virus at the facility. (Two more cases since were confirmed and 20 more are suspected.)


â??ICE has shown very little concern for its employees,â?� Brooks said. â??Even now, the detainees are being treated with antiviral medication, but the employees have not been.


â??At least at the Krome facility, ICE has exhibited a clear lack of preparedness,â?� Brooks added. â??There are enough resources out there to protect front line employees from the H1N1 virus, but management here decided instead to shield detainees and allow its workers to contract a potentially deadly virus.


â??ICE must immediately fully protect all of its employees, including providing antiviral medication,â?� he said. â??We canâ??t afford to wait any longer.â?�

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The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

News Source : H1N1 VIRUS IN MIAMI ICE EMPLOYEE INFANT CONFIRMED