Thane jail guard tested positive for Covid; 120 inmates of Arthur Road jail test negative

A 22-year-old jail guard, who reported for duty at Thane central prison on May 22 but was not allowed in, tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday. “The guard is

A 22-year-old jail guard, who reported for duty at Thane central prison on May 22 but was not allowed in, tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday. “The guard is asymptomatic and has been admitted to a quarantine centre,” said inspector general of prisons, Deepak Pandey.

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According to jail authorities, prison guards have been working in a 21-day shift and the guard reported for duty accordingly.

Following the protocol, he was screened at the jail entrance and asked about his health and other details. He was not allowed inside the prison when he told them that two people in his building had tested positive for Covid. “The guard said he was healthy. But, told us that two people from his building at Lower Parel in Mumbai had tested positive for Covid-19. We asked him to get himself tested. On Thursday, the report showed that he was positive,” said a jail official, requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, 120 inmates of Arthur Road prison in Mumbai, tested negative for the virus. They are among the 158 who had earlier tested positive for Covid-19. Also, all the 26 jail officials, who were earlier infected with the virus, have tested negative, said Pandey.