At least 54 prisoners and two staff members in District Jail Amphalla today tested positive for coronavirus. One inmate also tested positive in Central Jail Kotbalwal.
Officials said that the sampling in the Amphalla jail started when one of the inmates tested positive on September 29.
“The Rapid Antigen Test found that 54 inmates and two staff members were infected with the deadly virus,” officials said.
The officials said “The tests will continue tomorrow also. Besides, we have started contact tracing.”
One inmate in Kotbalwal Central Jail has also tested positive, an official wishing not to be named said.
The positive inmates have been separated and majority of them have no symptoms of covid-19, the officials said. “The infected inmates are under observation and a team of doctors is monitoring their health.”
Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Sushma Chauhan told Greater Kashmir that a proposal has been prepared to shift the infected inmates to Pahari Hostel. “Most likely the proposal will be approved by the concerned prison authorities.”
The DC Jammu said that they have started random sampling in various places and prisons were among them. “It was due to RAT that they were able to find the covid-19 cases,” she added.