PCR reports received : Welikada inmates test negative for COVID-19

COVID-19 patient detected at the Welikada Prison 

Health officers seen outside the Welikada Prison preparing to carry out PCR tests on inmates, prison guards and other officials yesterday after an inmate was found infected with COVID-19.
Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana     

• 474 inmates and 131 officials at the Kandakadu rehabilitation centre to undergo quarantine

By Sandun A Jayasekera and Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

The prison inmates at the Welikada prison, who were subjected to PCR tests yesterday, have tested negative for the COVID-19, Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe said. 

• With the detection of this new COVID-19 patient at the Welikada Prison,  the Prevention Task Force has decided to carry out rigid surveillance  and testing and quarantine programmes targeting all prison inmates and  officers to prevent the spread of the viral infection
• They were those detained at Ward-I of the Welikada Prison where the COVID-19 infected inmate was found

 He said reports of some of the inmates were yet to come. Nearly 174 inmates out of 250 identified as having come in contact with the COVID-19 patient detected at the Welikada Prison were subjected to PCR tests, Prison Spokesman Chandana Ekanayake said.

  
 He said they were those detained at Ward-I of the Welikada Prison where the COVID-19 infected inmate was found.   

Mr. Ekanayake said the PCR tests on the rest of the personnel who were prisons officers would be carried out later. “If possible, we will conduct the PCR tests on Tuesday or Wednesday,” he said adding that no visitors would be allowed to the Welikada Prison until further notice. 

 
Meanwhile, Director General of Health Services, Dr. Anil Jasinghe said the prison inmate, a drug addict had been in rehabilitation at the Kandakadu rehabilitation centre before he was transferred to Welikada prison on June 27.   
He said with the detection of this new COVID-19 patient at the Welikada Prison, the Prevention Task Force has decided to carry out rigid surveillance and testing and quarantine programmes targeting all prison inmates and officers to prevent the spread of the viral infection. 

 
“The Health authorities have also decided to subject 474 inmates and 131 officials at the Kandakadu rehabilitation centre to a period of quarantine”, Dr. Jasinghe said.   

He said the health officials had no option but to quarantine the officials and inmates of the Polonnaruwa prison because the infected prisoner had been transferred to the Welikada Prison by officials of the Polonnaruwa prison.