THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In Poojapura Central prison, 41 prisoners and one prison staffer tested positive for Covid on Thursday. The positive results came from 98 tests done in Block 10 here after 60 prisoners in the adjacent Block 7 had tested positive recently. Two persons who had tested positive in antibody test done separately for prison staff have been sent for further checkup.
“The prisoners, along with the 59 others who tested positive on Wednesday are housed in a separate block. The prison staff who tested positive in the antigen tests has been moved to a CFLTC in Poojapura. Another 160 antibody tests were done among prison staff in which two test results were inconclusive. The two staffers are currently admitted to General Hospital to undergo further tests,” said a prisons department official.
Further tests to be done
All the patients are asymptomatic. Further tests will be done on Friday. “The social distancing protocols are followed without fail in the jails. We have also restricted inmates or staff from visiting other blocks in the wake of the fresh cases,” the official said. There are close to 300 staff in various prison establishments in Poojapura. The official also said that tests will be done in other major jails across the state starting Friday.