Image Courtesy:indianexpress.com
Around 53 Rohingya immigrants, now detained at Hiranagar sub-jail in Kathua district, have tested positive for Covid-19, stated news reports. There are a total of 222 Rohingya at the prison. Kathua Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Ashok Choudhary told the media that these 53 inmates were found Covid-positive during a three-day testing drive at the centre. They have now been isolated within the holding centre in separate barracks. “For now they are all fine,” said Dr Choudhary.
According to the CMO “Some among them have Covid symptoms and remaining are asymptomatic,” and he claimed that they are “all normal” and that “the doctors are regularly checking on them,” reported Hindustan Times. The prison has been sanitised, officials and other inmates will also be tested. However, that was to be done on Wednesday and Thursday, but no updates seem to have been reported yet. Dr Choudhary told the media that “authorities will have to wait for Covid tests of all”.
Meanwhile, the HT reported that according to a prison official,“58 of them above the age of 45 years have already been vaccinated. We have 222 inmates in the holding centre.”
However, 53 testing positive in a confined “holding centre” at a sub-jail is an issue of concern. According to a report in the Indian Express there are nearly 220 Rohingyas housed here after they were detained from Jammu during a verification drive. The officials at the centre told the media that the infection seems to have spread through minors who were reunited with their mother inside the centre a month ago.
The Greater Kashmir news portal reported that according to officials, it was at a routine medical check-up of the Rohingyas at the holding centre at Hiranagar, the doctor recommended Covid-19 sampling of two foreigners. Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) was conducted and both Rohingyas tested positive. More samples were tested by the Health department taking RAT samples and 53 Rohingyas tested positive for Covid-19. Meanwhile, at least 37 inmates have also tested positive during RT-PCR sampling at district jail Kathua, reported GK. These tests of inmates were conducted up to May 25. According to the report while the others are asymptomatic, one inmate is a diabetic and therefore, has been admitted in the hospital. The report added that after samples of the staff of Kathua Jail were tested, “a barber and a constable tested positive” they have since been isolated.
On May 17, in a bid to decongest prisons, the Jammu and Kashmir High Powered Committee (HPC) passed directions for releasing prisoners except those involved in militancy related cases and other serious crimes. The HPC headed by Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey has decided to release all convicts who were released as per last year’s directives for 90 days. The HPC will also consider the category of prisoners who are eligible to be released as per the Supreme Court’s directives. The HPC directed the jail authorities to ensure that inmates and staff wear masks and maintain social distancing, and that frequently visited areas like kitchen, bathrooms etc. be kept hygienic to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
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