At least 247 prisoners who were in Rajahmundry Central Prison, the biggest prison in Andhra Pradesh, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Rajahmundry town is in East Godavari district, which has become the district worst affected by COVID-19 in the state.
The Superintendent of the prison, S Raja Rao, said that a medical team was sent in on the District Collector’s orders on August 3, to test the prisoners as a precautionary measure. Out of nearly 980 people tested on that day, 247 inmates and six staff members tested positive for coronavirus, he said. There are a total of 1,650 prisoners who are currently at the Rajahmundry Central Prison.
Of these 247 prisoners, 213 are still in the prison while the rest of them recently left on bail, the Superintendent said. “We inspected the barracks based on the list, and at present, 213 people are with us in the prison,” he said.
He added that another 300 prisoners were tested on Thursday, whose results are awaited. All the remaining prisoners will also be tested, he said.
The Superintendent said that none of the carriers are showing severe symptoms or have comorbid conditions. However, there are three elderly people among the infected prisoners who are above the age of 60 years. These three patients, who are currently being treated at the prison hospital, will soon be shifted to the government COVID-19 hospital in the town, he said.
The remaining prisoners who have tested positive and are still in the prison have been moved to separate barracks, where they are kept under isolation. “They are receiving the same kind of medical treatment that is available outside the jail,” Superintendent Raja Rao said.
East Godavari has the highest number of active cases in the state, with 12,583 cases as of Thursday. Speaking about the cause of such a high number of infections, the Superintendent said that the remand prisoners who recently came into the prison are likely to have been the source. “The constables get all the new prisoners tested outside before bringing them in, but their reports take 3-4 days to arrive. Within that time, they may have visited the prison hospital,” he said, adding that the canteen and telephone areas also have high possibility of contact and spread of infection.
The prison medical officer has also contracted COVID-19, and is undergoing treatment. “The doctor is likely to have contracted the disease from one of the remand prisoners, and a few other prisoners may have got it from him,” the Superintendent said.