1.5% of the total prison population in Sri Lanka exposed to COVID-19

1.5% of the total prison population in Sri Lanka exposed to COVID-19

State Minister of Prison Reforms and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation, Dr. Shudarshini Fernandopulle instructed the prison officials to draw-up a mechanism that will direct all new inmates to a quarantine process and then be subject to PCR tests, before being allowed to be placed inside prisons.

The objective of this program is to prevent COVID-19 infected prisoners from entering the prisons in Sri Lanka.

At a meeting with the prison officials, the State Minister had stressed the urgent need to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in prisons as at present around 1.5% of the total prison population have been exposed to COVID-19.

A total of 438 COVID-19 cases were reported from Sri Lankan prisons and among them are 12 Prison Officers.

State Minister of Prison Reforms and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation, Dr. Shudarshini Fernandopulle said special attention will be paid towards boosting immunity among the prisoners and the officers.