THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a serious concern for officials at the Central prison in Thiruvananthapuram, 114 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 after rapid antigen tests on Monday taking the total number of infected persons to 476.
Of the 114, four are prison staff and the remaining are prisoners. On Sunday, 145 tested positive. Following the daily surge in infections, the health department decided to treat the infected persons at the prison itself by making special arrangements. So far, eight staff have tested positive after tests were conducted on 144 staff in the Central prison.
On Sunday, a 72-year-old prisoner who was said to be the first person confirmed to have the virus died in the Medical College hospital. He was identified as Manikandan of Kilimanoor.
Inmates who are under remand as well as those convicted were among those who tested positive. They will be isolated within the prison and also treated there, since all of them who tested positive were asymptomatic. A special ward has also been opened in the prison for the treatment.
The Central prison has become an epicentre of the virus spread in the capital in the rapid antigen testing conducted in the last one week. Prison authorities said more antigen tests would be conducted in the coming days. At present, a total of 975 prisoners are in the prison.
The testing of the inmates in Poojappura jail began after Manikandan was confirmed to have COVID-19 on Tuesday. However, the source of the infection remains a mystery.