GEORGE TOWN – Three prisoners who tested positive for Covid-19 at the Penang prison yesterday shared the same cell as the inmate who died from the disease on October 5.
Prison director Mohamed Jusoh Ismail said 26 prisoners were in the cell, and once the prison received information that the inmate had died because of Covid-19, the remaining 25 were immediately isolated and quarantined.
“As of yesterday, 18 people (including the deceased) had been confirmed positive for Covid-19 while another eight who were in the same cell showed no symptoms of the disease. However, they were still quarantined and isolated from other prisoners,” he told Bernama today.
According to him, all 17 prisoners who are currently being treated at the Penang Hospital were in stable condition.
He also said that the Covid-19 screening tests for staff and prisoners at the prison, which have been ongoing since October 5 was expected to be completed today.
“I am a little relieved that none of the staff tested positive for Covid-19 and all prisoners have completed the screening test today. I just hope there is no transmission in the other cells,” he said.
Yesterday, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said there were three more Covid-19 cases recorded in the remand prison cluster, bringing the total to 18 cases, including the prisoner who had died. – Bernama, October 11, 2020
