Dutch refugee ship typhoid outbreak caused by sewage leak, investigation finds

A typhoid outbreak on an old cruise ship that housed asylum seekers in the Netherlands was caused by sewage leaking into the drinking water supply, according to an investigation.

Cases of fever and stomach pain were first reported on April 6, 2022, on the Liberty Ann cruise ship docked in the Dutch city of Haarlem, with nearly 350 people exposed to the bacteria, of whom 52 asylum seekers and 20 staff contracted typhoid fever.

All asylum seekers and staff were moved to other accommodation, and the outbreak investigation identified that the source of the contamination was sewage in the freshwater tank containing the drinking water.

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The freshwater tank shared a wall with the wastewater tank holding sewage, which is against existing guidelines for such accommodation.

The common wall was severely corroded, with numerous small holes peeking through.

The Dutch government's use of ships for asylum seeker accommodation has been widely criticised by rights groups, and the results of the investigation come just days after the UK said it was considering using ferries and barges in a similar manner.

Anne de Vries, a disease control expert at the Municipal Health Service Kennemerland-Haarlem who helped lead the probe, said: "The source of the contamination was not easy to find".

Lacking a blueprint of the ship, it took numerous visits to locate the freshwater tank. While the holes were quite high, de Vries speculated that bad weather, such as Storm Eunice which pummelled the Netherlands in February 2022, could have led to "a lot of wastewater coming in."

Typhoid outbreak revealed "poor infrastructure". EPA

The Dutch government announced last year that it would house asylum seekers on ships, a plan that rights groups slammed as "absurd."

The use of such accommodation in the Netherlands and other countries has been criticised for its poor conditions and inadequate facilities.

The UK government is now exploring the possibility of accommodating migrants in vessels such as ferries and barges in a bid to reduce hotel bills.

The plan has sparked concerns that asylum seekers will be subjected to inhumane living conditions, further exacerbating the existing issues with their treatment.

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

AIR

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Our legal advisor

Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.

Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.

- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law

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