Staff Reporter
A total of 20 prisoners were tested positive for the novel coronavirus at the district jail Quetta the other day. The health department government of Balochistan had launched the testing of inmates at Quetta prison the other day.
“20 prisoners were tested positive”, a high-level prison department’s official told the daily Quetta Voice on condition of anonymity since he was not authorized to speak to media.
The jail houses over 500 inmates currently, he informed. Some prisoners with minor crimes and punishments were released soon after the outbreak of the pandemic a few months back.
The prisoners have been quarantined and kept in isolation to battle the deadly virus, the officer stated. Disinfection spray was also conducted at the jail to clean all barracks and offices from every kind of virus.
Panic prevailed among the inmates after their colleagues contracted the deadly virus. The health department has also planned to conduct tests of coronavirus in all jails of Balochistan to contain the virus.
It may be mentioned here that Balochistan prisons department chief remains on leave for almost a month that has caused administrative issues in affairs of prisons across the province. “No proper charge has been handed over to a senior officer in the absence of IG prisons”, a well-placed officer in the home and tribal affairs department told the daily Quetta Voice.
