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Covid-19 outbreak at Assam’s Karimganj district jail, 34 prisoners test positive
Thirty-four inmates of Karimganj District Jail in Assam have tested positive for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) so far
Thirty-four inmates of Karimganj District Jail in Assam have tested positive for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) so far. There are around 290 prisoners in the jail which includes some foreigners from Bangladesh, Myanmar and African countries, HT has learnt.
Now, most of the inmates will go through Rapid Antigen Test for detecting the Covid-19 virus. Some more are expected to test positive because they are suffering from mild fever and other issues. Superintendent of Karimganj District Jail, Sanjeev Kumar Chetia has confirmed the news.
Talking to Hindustan Times, the superintendent said, “It all started when we noticed some of the inmates were suffering from mild fever and other issues. We requested the district health department to test them and find if the inmates are Covid-19 positive. But we have almost 300 inmates and it is not possible to test everyone at the same time. So the district administration started conducting the test in a phased manner. On the first day, 6 people tested positive and yesterday 28 more found infected. Now, this process will go on and the number may increase in the coming days”.
Apart from the local prisoners, there are few detained foreigners kept in Karimganj District Jail. It includes Bangladeshis, Myanmar nationals of the Rohingya community, people from African countries like Nigeria, Ghana and Angola. Most of them were arrested while they tried to cross the Indo-Bangladesh international border located along the district. The African Nationals include some women as well. They were arrested because they entered into the Indian territory without any valid document, Chetia said.
About the source of the virus, the jail superintendent believes, there are multiple possibilities. He said, “The family members can be one of the sources because the prisoners get a chance to meet their family members often. The family members come to jail almost every week and they bring food and other stuff along with them. This can be one of the sources for the virus to enter inside the jail. We are also trying to find other possibilities so that we can prevent it in future.”
Regarding the treatment of covid positive prisoners, he said, “The prisoners who tested positive have been given a place for isolation at the jail premises. They are being given the treatment there, doctors from the district administration are looking after the treatment part. Required medicines are being supplied by the district health department. But if there are issues like oxygen shortage, breathing problem or lung infection, the person will be sent to Covid-19 ICU in Silchar Medical College and Hospitals for better treatment. But there will be strict security arrangements during the entire process.”
There was a similar situation in Silchar Central Jail last year. More than a hundred prisoners tested positive in a span of a week in August. Some of them were sent to Silchar Medical College & Hospitals because they were critical and needed treatment in ICU. The district administration arranged proper security arrangement for the treatment of prisoners at SMCH.
