All prisons closed for visitors until further notice

All prisons across the country would remain closed for visitors until further notice following the detection of a Covid-19 inmate at the Welikada Prison, the Prisons Department said.

Prisons Spokesman Chandana Ekanayake said that a total of 316 PCR tests have been conducted on inmates and prison officials at the Welikada Prison after an inmate was tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday.

He said the results of at least 200 PCR tests were negative for the virus. The rest of the test results to be received by this evening.

The spokesman said that 182 inmates identified as close contacts of the Covid-19 positive inmate were sent to the Punani Quarantine Centre after being subjected to PCR tests.

He said the prison officials have been kept in isolation and will be sent for quarantine.(Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)