Mountjoy staff test positive for Covid – but no prisoners yet

A NUMBER of staff at Mountjoy Prison have tested positive for the coronavirus.

A statement from the Irish Prison Service confirmed that ‘a small number of staff in Mountjoy Prison have tested positive for Covid-19 and contact tracing has commenced in this regard’.

The statement reassured family and friends of prisoners that there are ‘no positive cases amongst the prisoner population to date’.

The Prison Service said: ‘In the event a prisoner does test positive their family will be immediately informed.

‘The Service is working closely with Public Health and the Community Health Organisation (CHO) testing team in the HSE and contact tracing is ongoing. The positive staff cases are currently confined to specific areas within the prison. Following consultation with Public Health, HSE arrangements for testing are being made for all staff and prisoners in Mountjoy and Dóchas prisons as a precautionary measure.’

The Prison Service said a ‘regime’ had been introduced which ‘may impact on access to video visits and phone calls in the short term for prisoners in precautionary isolation’.

It is understood all staff and all prisoners who have been in Mountjoy since Wednesday, April 28 will be sent forward for a Covid-19 test. Testing for staff is scheduled for today and tomorrow.