Baby Aliyah has just spent another day in hospital as she's had a high temperature since Friday, mom's fears for Aliyah's well being have been doubled by the outbreak of chicken pox at the centre. They have a bail hearing on Friday hope they get free.

Molly Sebbatta four and a half and 26 days in detention is suffering, her mom Agnes says Molly's speech is deteriorating and she is bed wetting (never happened at home) and has also started wetting her self during the day. This family too have had two RDs and are still there as mum said their MP intervened to stay the removal.

One family who have been detained since early July, father, mother (both refusing food) and two daughters. Have had Removal Directions (RDs) set twice the dates have come and gone and they are still being detained. They had applied for bail and were refused because the adjudicator said; as RDs had been set he would not release them.

As I will be visiting some of the parents for the next two days, I phoned the booking office at Yarl's Wood and was told that there was an outbreak of chicken pox and I could come at my own risk. When I enquired from a good number of parents about the outbreak some had been told and some heard it from me for the first time.

NHS Direct say: chicken pox is highly contagious virus, with an incubation period of 15-20 days. Chickenpox is most contagious the day before the rash appears and until the blisters are all dry and crusted over (usually about 5 days). If you have chickenpox you should avoid contact with pregnant women who have not had chickenpox, newborn babies and people with a low immune system (e.g. those with cancer or advanced H.I.V.), as these people can't fight infection as well as those with a healthy immune system. For more information please go to website below:
 http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=97

As a result of the outbreak Yarl's Wood will not receive any new detainees until the 21st August.


Nellie de jongh
 Nelliedejongh@ncadc.org.uk