Superintendent opts for self-quarantine after his attendant tests positive

The superintendent of police (SP) at Arthur Road Jail self quarantined for 15 days after his attendant tested positive for Covid-19. About 77 inmates and 26 jail

The superintendent of police (SP) at Arthur Road Jail self quarantined for 15 days after his attendant tested positive for Covid-19. About 77 inmates and 26 jail officials, tested positive on Thursday, a day after a 45-year-old undertrial was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus disease.

HT Image

The attendant is among the 26 jail employees who tested positive, said prison sources. Sources added that the SP has quarantined himself in the bungalow allotted to him inside the jail premises.

“The attendant used to serve him food, tea and also did administrative duties like handing over files and documents. Thus, the officer needed to be quarantined,” said a senior police officer, on condition of anonymity.

On Thursday, after results indicated that 103 people in the prison were infected , Sir JJ Hospital authorities took swabs of 200 more people at the prison, results of which are awaited.

Jail authorities are yet to identify how the virus entered the premises, as no new prisoners were admitted since the first week of April, particularly due to overcrowding in the prison.

“The possibility of the virus spreading via the civic cleaning staff, sanitisation workers, or through essential service providers who visit the jail cannot be ruled out,” added the officer.