NELLORE: As many as 72 inmates of the Central Prison of Nellore have tested positive for Covid-19 within the past three days. Eight of them were sent to the state Covid Hospital attached to the Government General Hospital based on their age and ailments, and the rest are being treated in prison.
This is the first time such a large number of prison inmates in Andhra Pradesh has tested positive for coronavirus.
Sources said the virus spread from two remand prisoners who were shifted there in connection with a murder case in Vinjamur mandal.
The sources added that 20 cases were reported on July 30 and the remaining 52 on August 1, when a Sanchara Sanjeevani testing vehicle was arranged to visit the prison, which has at least 470 inmates.
Confirming the development, Nellore Central Prison superintendent K Rajeswar Rao said most of the infectees have mild symptoms.
“We arranged a separate room in the prison as a quarantine facility. The inmates’ health is continuously being monitored,” he said, adding that each of the infectees will only be sent back after they test negative for the virus.
Recently, 18 inmates and staff of the Visakhapatnam Central Prison were found to be infected after a life convict, who died while undergoing treatment, tested positive after his death.
The convict, Mallela Om Prakash, sentenced in connection with the sensational murder of Julakanti Srinivas Reddy alias Moddu Srinu, had been on parole for a few days and returned to the prison.