Even as Thiruvananthapuram is grappling with the surge in COVID-19 cases, as many as 59 inmates of the Central Prison at Poojappura in the city have tested positive for the novel coronovirus.The inmates, all living in the seventh block of the prison, tested positive in the rapid antigen test conducted on Wednesday.
They were subjected for the test as an inmate of the block was tested positive on Tuesday. “They all were tested as a remand prisoner inmate was tested positive on Tuesday. It’s not clear how the inmates contracted the virus,” Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Santhosh told TNM.
Some of the prison inmates had gone to hospitals, the only outside visit that they had in recent times. The inmates who tested positive include many who are under remand and those who have been convicted. They will be isolated and treated in the prison itself. “All the inmates were asymptomatic. They will be under isolation in the prison itself,” the officer added.
District Medical Officer Thiruvananthapuram Dr KS Shinu told TNM that a special ward will be set up in the prison for the COVID positive inmates.
“They can’t be shifted outside as providing protection for this number of inmates is not feasible. The jail has enough facilities to set up a ward and we will be providing the treatment,” the DMO said.
The prison as per the strength on Wednesday has 970 inmates. All the prison inmates will undergo antigen tests on Thursday and Friday.
Fifty inmates of the Kollam District Jail had tested positive on August 9.
Thiruvanathapuram has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the state for the past several days. On Wednesday too Thiruvananthapuram reported 266 cases out of the total 1212 COVID cases.
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