A Kilmarnock prisoner has been hospitalised with coronavirus after one of the country's biggest outbreaks of the deadly virus.
Almost 300 inmates and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at HMP Kilmarnock in the past week, prison officials confirmed this evening.
It's believed that 230 Bowhouse prisoners returned positive tests in recent days with 27 members of staff also catching the virus too.
Kilmarnock's prison boss, Craig Thomson, confirmed today that many of those testing positive are asymptomatic.
It's also understood that not all staff cases are connected to the prison.
Serco, the firm which runs the jail, confirmed that one prisoner who tested positive has been taken to hospital as a 'precaution'.
Inmates are now being confined to their cells.
Last Wednesday, Ayrshire Live reported that 38 people in Bowhouse had tested positive for Covid. Thirty-two were prisoners and six were workers.
The outbreak is one of the biggest to take place in a prison since the pandemic started a year ago.
Mr Thomson, Serco prison director at HMP Kilmarnock, said: "Last week there were a number of positive Covid cases in HMP Kilmarnock.
"As a result it was agreed with the health authorities that all prisoners and officers at the prison would be offered a test and that programme is due to be complete today [Monday] with the complete results expected in the coming days.
"This mass testing programme has resulted in a significant increase in the number of positive Covid cases, although many of those testing positive are asymptomatic.
"Our priority now is to look after the health and wellbeing of everyone in the prison and we are working closely with Public Health Scotland and NHS Scotland and taking every measure possible to keep people safe."
The major outbreak means East Ayrshire has the worst coronavirus case rate in Scotland.
Earlier today, the region's council leader voiced concerns over the mass outbreak at the prison.
East Ayrshire Council leader Douglas Reid said: "It is a cause of concern. The outbreak at the prison has elevated East Ayrshire to the highest affected local authority in Scotland.
"We are thinking of the safety of the community and hope the outbreak is contained and dealt with within the prison."
The SNP councillor added: "I hope this doesn’t impact significantly on the wider community."
