38 out of 59 prisoners recover from virus

LAHORE: The prisoners infected with coronavirus are recovering speedily as 38 out of 59 prisoners from Camp Jail infected with Covid-19 found recovered, The News has learnt. These 38 out of 59 prisoners who were reported Covid positive in Camp Jail, Lahore, were found Covid negative after retested as per SOPs issued by Prisons Wing Home Department.

The test was conducted after 14 days and the prisoners found Covid negative, said Zeeshan Shabbir Rana, Additional Secretary, Prisons Wing, Home Department Punjab. Zeeshan Rana said that first Covid positive prisoner Abid Hussain who had travel history from Italy, has recovered and shifted to jail from Mayo Hospital. The Additional Secretary said Prison Wing Home Department left no stone unturned to check Corona spread in prisons.

As 78 prisoners reported Covid positive from six prisons of Punjab, including Camp Jail Lahore, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, DG Khan, Jhelum and Sialkot, the figure has reduced to 35 due to drastic precautionary measures taken by Prisons Department. According to SPOs, all jail staff had zero chances of contamination as they cannot go outside.

PCO facility has been provided to all prisoners in 42 jails. All premises of jail have been disinfected on daily basis. He said that SIMS had set up a 100-bed hospital for corona virus patients in Camp Jail, Lahore. Furthermore, a 20-bed hospital has been established in every jail of Punjab. Besides, corona testing centres have been established in all jails of Punjab, he added.