Over 2,000 tested at Penang jail

GEORGE TOWN: Over 2,000 inmates at the Penang Remand Prison are currently undergoing Covid-19 tests after seven inmates, including one posthumously, tested positive for the virus.

However, the authorities say the situation is under control.

The prison director, Mohamed Jusoh Ismail, said all prison personnel and prisoners who were close contacts of the deceased had been put under quarantine and isolated from other employees and inmates.

“I cannot reveal the number of people who are isolated but I can assure the public that the close contacts of the dead prisoner are under quarantine and being screened for Covid-19 by Health Ministry personnel,” he told Bernama.

As of Tuesday, six more prisoners had tested positive, bringing the total cases there to seven.

An 85-year-old prisoner tested positive for Covid-19 after his death on Monday.

He was found unconscious by a prison warden and later taken to Penang Hospital’s emergency department.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the Covid-19 outbreak in the prison was under control and in the early stages.

He said swift action had been taken by all relevant parties to stem the spread of the infection.

“The experiences of other states involving such an outbreak will be used as reference to handle the case in Penang,” he said after a meeting with the state executive council yesterday.

Chow noted that the state Prisons Department had written to the courts here to inform them that trials and remand cases involving its inmates would be postponed until further notice.

He also urged Penangites to continue to adhere to the standard operating procedure to mitigate the threat of Covid-19.

Earlier yesterday, doctors from the hospital were seen arriving at the prison in Jail Road as early as 9am, with what looked like boxes containing Covid-19 test kits.

Among them was state health director Dr Asmayani Khalib.

Penang Bar chairman Lee Guan Tong said based on information received, the deceased prisoner last appeared in court on Sept 9 while several lawyers urged for the courtrooms to be sanitised.

Datuk Baljit Singh said there was a need to step up safety measures in public places like courts and hospitals visited by the inmates.

“We need to find out when those prisoners were produced in court, which courtrooms they were in and who was present in the courtroom during the same period.

“The courtrooms need to be sanitised and lawyers who represent those who have tested positive have to self-quarantine,” he said.

S. Raveentharan said he was worried as his parents, aged 80 and 93, live with him.

“I do not have clients from the state Remand Prison but I do appear in court almost daily,” he said.