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815 inmates at the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise are being tested for Covid-19 along with staff after it was confirmed that five inmates have tested positive for the virus and are receiving treatment.
The prison outbreak is the first of its kind in an Irish prison since the start of the pandemic.
There have been five other prisoners who have tested positive for Covid-19, but all tested positive before reaching prison.
In a statement, the Irish Prison Service said that the five prisoners have been isolated in accordance with infection control procedures and that contact tracing is ongoing.
The positive cases relate to an area of the jail and all inmates housed in this section and the staff who are assigned to this area have been examined, the statement added.
All other prisoners and staff at the Midlands Prison are being scrutinized as a precautionary measure.
The Irish Prison Service said an outbreak control team meeting was held to review the cases and agree on actions that will be taken to mitigate further spread of the disease within the facilities.
No cases were reported in the prison during the first wave of the coronavirus.
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