Greek police investigate string of deaths in refugee camp

A refugee walks after receiving food during snowfall at the Moria hotspot on the Greek island of Lesbos, on January 9, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Police are investigating the deaths of three refugees in less than a week at a badly overcrowded camp in Greece.

A police source said on Monday that authorities were awaiting the coroner's report on the deaths of a 20-year-old Egyptian, a 46-year-old Syrian and a third man believed to be a Pakistani national and 20 years old in the camp of Moria on the Aegean island of Lesbos.

"We do not have signs that the deaths were drugs-related," an unnamed Greek police officer said.

The body of one man was discovered on January 24 and another on January 28 in the vicinity of a tent. The body of a third man was discovered on Monday.

Medical charity group Doctors of the World also reported that one more man was taken to hospital on Monday in a similar incident. The medical group says poor conditions at the camp posed "serious risk" to the life and health of the refugees held there.

Refugees try to light a fire during snowfall at the Moria hotspot on the Greek island of Lesbos, on January 9, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Some Greek media have cited carbon monoxide poisoning as a possible cause of the recent deaths. The cold weather has forced some refugees to use wood-burning stoves to keep warm at the overcrowded camp.

Greece, which has over 60,000 refugees trapped on its soil, has refused to permit large-scale relocation from the islands to the mainland.

The Greek government is still struggling to cope with the refugee crisis despite a deal between the EU and Turkey aimed at reducing the numbers of people crossing by boat to the Greek islands.

Many analysts believe western intervention and policies are largely to blame for the refugee crisis crippling Europe.