BARGARH: As many as 83 inmates housed in Padampur sub-jail in the district were found positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. While five of them have been sent to Covid Care Centre after their oxygen level dipped, the rest are under isolation. All eight jail staff who also got tested alongside, were found negative for the virus.
Sources said, as many as 132 persons (124 inmates and eight staff) in the sub-jail were tested through Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) Kits in phases on Friday and Saturday. Samples of those found negative, have been sent for RT-PCR testing.
Sub-Divisional Medical Officer (SDMO), Padampur, Dr Tahsil Sahu said, “I directed medical officer in-charge, Jamla to conduct Covid tests of the jail inmates and staff on the basis of an order issued by the State government. In the first phase, 30 inmates were tested and all were found positive. Subsequently, we decided to test all of them and 83 were found infected.”