A CORONAVIRUS tragedy in immigration detention can be avoided if all detainees are released immediately, campaigners say.

Following the case of Covid-19 confirmed at Yarl’s Wood last month, a second case in Britain’s immigration removal centres has been discovered at the G4S-run Brook House.

Last week, the government gave temporary release to 4,000 prisoners after more than 150 inmates and staff in the prison system tested positive for Covid-19 and 12 died after being infected. 

But Medical Justice director Emma Ginn said that while the prisoner release makes sense, the continued detention of refugees not serving a criminal sentence does not. 

She said: “The fact that so many detainees cannot be removed from the UK during the global lockdown makes their indefinite detention in such perilous conditions seem incomprehensible, indefensible and just plain cruel.

“Immigration detention is optional. Detainees are held purely for the administrative convenience of the Home Office. 

“Their continued detention could mean that the Home Office is risking public health for its own administrative convenience — this would be unconscionable.”

Ms Ginn called on the government to value human life above deportation statistics and immediately release detainees “before avoidable tragedy occurs.” 

Medical Justice caseworker Emily Lawton said that the indefinite nature of detention and complete lack of control is “hugely distressing” for those involved, a feeling currently being exacerbated.

She said: “Detainees do not have control over who they come into contact with, find self-isolating extremely difficult and report being fearful. The worry is clear in their voices. 

“One detainee who had just found out about the confirmed Covid-19 case called me and said: ‘I need to get out of here.’

“Another detainee said that he felt that he was going to die in detention because his serious health condition made him so scared of coronavirus.”

The group is also demanding that anyone released from detention who does not have adequate accommodation or faces destitution must be provided with a suitable place and financial support, regardless of immigration status. 

Medical Justice said that the measures are crucial in allowing self-isolation to be properly enforced and to protect the health of currently detained individuals and the general public.