THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what could be termed as a serious concern in the Central prison in Thiruvananthapuram , 198 more persons have tested positive for Covid-19. The total number of infections here rose to 362 after rapid antigen tests were conducted over the weekend. Of these, three are prisoner staff and the remaining are jail inmates.
While on Saturday, 53 have tested positive, 145 more were found to be infected on Sunday. The latest results have given way to a large cluster in the prison and its premises.
On Sunday, a 72-year-old prisoner, who was said to be the first person confirmed with virus infection, died in the Medical College hospital. He was identified as Manikandan, a native of Kilimanoon.
The Central prison has become an epicentre of the virus spread in the capita city after rapid antigen testing conducted in the last five days. The DIG (prisons) has already gone into self- quarantine. On Friday, the total number of affected persons was 164 in the tests conducted on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. However, the cases have shown a spurt in the last two days.
The prison authorities said more antigen tests would be conducted in the coming days. At present, a total of 975 prisoners are in the Central prison at Poojappura in Thiruvananthapuram.
Those tested positive include inmates under remand as well as those convicted. They will be isolated within the prison and also treated there, since all of them who tested were asymptomatic. A special ward will also be opened in the prison soon for the treatment.
The testing of the inmates in Poojappura jail began after Manikandan was confirmed to have Covid-19 on Tuesday. This was followed by a rapid antigen test of 107 prisoners on Wednesday out of which 59 had tested positive. On Thursday, 41 more prisoners tested positive. However, officials are yet to asscertain the source of infection of the spread.
The state prison headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram was shut down for three days in the wake of detecting symptoms of Covid-19 infection in two prisoners who engaged in sanitation of the headquarters and its premises.
DGP ( Prisons) Rishiraj Singh had issued the orders on Friday following the instructions from the state health department. According to the DGP' s order, the headquarters will be opened after disinfecting the office and premises.