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Covid-19 hit the East London Correctional Center, where 23 correctional services officials and three inmates tested positive for the virus.
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola confirmed on Sunday that 26 cases have been detected in the women’s section.
Lamola, who visited the prison on Sunday, said more people were examined and added that the department was still awaiting the results.
“The positive cases follow the massive assessments that the Eastern Cape region embarked on the Middle C Women’s Center after the first positive case was recorded on April 6.
READ | First coronavirus case reported in East London prison
“The official, who tested positive, attended a funeral, where she interacted with people from abroad.”
Lamola said 30 officials, who contacted her colleague, were forced to quarantine when it came to an alleged case.
The second positive case was confirmed on April 8 after an official, who sought the services of a private laboratory, received his results.
The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) embarked on a massive screening of 268 inmates at the facility and evaluated 30 who showed symptoms of Covid-19 on April 8 and 9.
Lamola added that 266 officials working at the East London Correctional Center were also evaluated.
“This number includes the 92 officials of the Centro Femenino Medio C. Yesterday [Saturday]193 offenders were evaluated at the Covid-19 Women’s Medium C Center and the remaining 46 offenders will be evaluated tomorrow. “
So far, the NICD has confirmed that 23 officials tested positive for the virus, 40 tested negative, and the results of another 40 are still outstanding.
READ | The authorities deny that the prisoner of the Free State prison had Covid-19, the death under investigation
“Thirteen officials at the Maximum Center tested negative, three officers at Medium B tested negative, and six officials from the area commissioner’s office tested negative,” Lamola said.
Three inmates tested positive, 10 tested negative, and the results of the other inmates, who were evaluated, are still pending.
Lamola said that all the outstanding results should arrive before April 14.
“Massive testing will continue across the East London Center for both criminals and officials. The NICD is tracking all those who came into contact with officials who tested positive so they can be quarantined until they are examined and approved.”
“We have taken immediate steps to prevent any possible spread of the virus resulting from these reported positive cases.
“We have identified individual cells within the Medium C Women’s Center that are designated as quarantine and isolation areas. Officials working in these designated areas have been provided with PPE, including disposable suits, disposable gowns, shoe covers, masks N95 and eye protectors, among others. “
Those who have tested positive will be treated by the health department.
“The fact that positive cases were registered when the country is under national blockade, where the movement restriction for all citizens is applied, was a mitigating factor against the rapid spread of Covid-19 by officials who tested positive,” Lamola said.
“Had it not been for the national blockade, presumably, the virus would have spread further throughout the province. This is evidence that the blocking measures are effective and, if followed, could decrease the spread of the virus.”
Lamola asked people not to panic as the Department of Correctional Services had a coherent anti-Covid-19 strategy that incorporated the expertise of different spheres of government.
“We are confident that infected officials and criminals will recover from this pandemic. We are absolutely confident in our Covid-19 measures and confident that they will lead to recoveries that will ‘give birth’ to virus-free correctional services.”
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