Udala (Mayurbhanj): As many as 21 under trial prisoners (UTP) at Udala Sub-jail in Mayurbhanj district tested positive for the coronavirus today.
All the infected inmates have been kept under isolation. The jail premises have been sanitized following detection of the viral infection.
Swab samples from 76 inmates were collected and sent for examination two days ago. Out of which 21 came positive, said Bidyadhar Dandpat, Executive officer at Udala NAC.
“The 21 infected persons have been kept under isolation by the jail authorities. Our NAC workers have sanitized the jail premises following detection of covid cases among the inmates,” he said.
The Rapid Response Team (RRT) has started treatment of the infected. Those who require medical observation will be shifted to covid hospital, NAC official added.
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“Our RRT is keeping a close watch on them,” he pointed out.
More testing will be carried out following contact tracing.
The number of positive cases at the jail may surge as more reports are yet to come, sources said.
Mayurbhanj district reported 207 new positive cases in last 24 hours.
Similarly, in Bolangir jail, as many as 11 persons including a woman inmate have been tested positive for Covid-19. Similarly, of the three sub-jails in the district, the virus has spread its tentacles in Patnagarh sub-jail.
According to sources, of the 120 inmates at the sub-jail 52 have been tested positive for Covid-19, while one UTP succumbed to the virus.
“Three our staff first infected with the virus and now there are in isolation. At present, the number has increased to 11 and they are under treatment,” said Urmila Minj, Bolangir Jail Superintendent.
Reacting on the present Covid-19 situation in the jail Collector Chanchal Rana said “We are in talks with DIG, Prison to set up a separate ward for the Covid positive UTPs. Sanitisation and RT-PCR test will be ramped up.”