As many as 247 inmates and 32 staff of Rajamahendravaram Central Prison (RCP) in East Godavari district tested positive for COVID-19 by Thursday during a special drive.
The first phase of medical tests was conducted for 900 inmates among a total of 1,600 through iMASQ, a mobile COVID test laboratory on August 3.
RCP Superintendent S. Raja Rao told The Hindu; “A special quarantine facility has been set up on the prison campus where all the inmates and staff are being treated by a team of doctors. The health condition of the 32 staff infected with the COVID is stable.”
Meanwhile, the prison authorities have stopped admission of new remand prisoners as a part of the containment strategy. The spread of the COVID is suspected to be due to admission of remand prisoners in recent weeks.
The second phase of the medical tests would commence on Saturday, enabling the remaining 700 inmates of the prison to undergo the COVID tests.
