All prisons closed for visitors until further notice

315 of the inmates from Welikada showed negative results for Covid-19

• 182 close contacts of the Covid-19 positive inmate were sent to the Punani Centre

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

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 yesterday.  

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

The Welikada prison was closed for visitors from Tuesday following the detection of the Covid-19 inmate and the decision to close all prisons for visitors was taken yesterday.  
He said the results of at least 200 PCR tests were found negative. The rest of the test results were to be received on Wednesday 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 subject to PCR tests.  
He said the prisons officials who have been kept in isolation will be sent for quarantine.  

In the meantime, at least 315 of the inmates from Welikada who were subjected to PCR tests showed negative results for Covid-19, Army Commander Shavendra Silva said. However, he said the reports of the tests carried out on the inmates who were sent to the Kandakadu quarantine centre were yet to be received.

• 316 PCR tests carried out on inmates and prison officials at Welikada Prison