Five inmates under treatment for COVID-19 in Delhi prisons: Official

Five inmates, who recently arrived in jails in Delhi, have tested positive for COVID-19 and are undergoing treatment, officials said on Sunday.This comes less than a month after Delhi Prisons Department declared re was active COVID-19 case among inmates in its three jail complexes.

According to data shared by officials, number of active COVID-19 cases in Delhi Prisons w stands at 25, including 20 jail staff.

A total of 70 prison inmates tested positive for COVID-19. Sixty-three of m have recovered and two died, leaving five active cases. re were 188 prison staff exposed to vel coronavirus. Of m, 168 have recovered and 20 are still under treatment for disease,Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel said.

Earlier, on August 21, Delhi Prisons Department h stated that ne of inmates in three jail complexes of Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli are COVID-19 positive and that coronavirus situation in jails here has improved. Among prisons in national capital, first case of coronavirus was reported in Rohini Jail on May 13. Two coronavirus positive inmates of Mandoli Jail died on June 15 and July 4. Both were senior citizens, according to officials.

y h said ever since outbreak of pandemic in March, Prisons Department remained vigilant and instructed its staff to t only maintain hygiene and social distancing among mselves but also spre awareness about infection among inmates in three jail complexes.

inmates are being given lime water to boost ir immunity, y said. officials said a major step taken towards maintaining social distancing among inmates was to decongest jails.

Around 4,000 inmates were released in department's decongestion drive. Out of m, 1,100 convicts were released on emergency parole while 2,900 undertrial prisoners were released on interim bail. At present, re are 14,600 inmates in Delhi prisons, officials h said. Goel h emphasised that its decongestion drive and spreing awareness among inmates as well as staffers played a huge role in tackling pandemic.

He said restricted entry, repeated medical screening of inmates, isolation of those with symptoms, compulsory 14-day quarantine for new inmates were some of key measures which were implemented since early March to check spre of dely virus.

"We took timely precautionary measures. Every new inmate was isolated. After medical screening, we quarantined m initially for three-four days but soon we extended quarantine period to 14 days which was compulsory for any new inmate," Goel h said.

"We increased our medical screenings. Any new inmate being brought here first underwent a medical screening before entering jail premises. It is conducted by a team of jail doctors. Only after he is declared fit, he is taken to his jail where he is medically examined for second time to ensure he is fit and fine.

"This process of double medical screening helped us to ensure safety and well-being of both inmates and our staff," he ded.

If during first medical screening inmate is found to be unwell, he is immediately sent to a hospital. Apart from measuring body temperature of prisoners, jail doctors also ask m about ir whereabouts. In case y have come from a containment zone, y are put under a 14-day quarantine, y said.

Besides, jail staffers were also vised to t report to duty and remain at home in case y were unwell, he said. 

(Im Credits:PTI)