Prison sees a spike in Covid

DARTMOOR Prison has confirmed a number of positive Covid-19 cases - helping to explain a recent spike in official figures.

The coronavirus cluster map shows 42 cases in the Chagford, Princetown & Dartmoor area.

That is the highest number of total confirmed cases anywhere in Devon, based on the most recent seven-day period to December 17.

Dartmoor Prison has not confirmed what proportion of the 42 cases are within its walls, but has stressed there is no evidence its outbreak has spread to the wider community.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Robust safeguards are in place at Dartmoor following a number of positive cases and we have seen absolutely no evidence to suggest outbreaks in prisons have driven a significant increase in cases in the wider community.”

HMP Dartmoor says it will continue to monitor the situation and has taken all the necessary precautionary measures.

The COVID-19 cluster map uses data from Public Health England’s second generation surveillance system to show the pockets of Devon where coronavirus cases are on the rise. For Chagford, Princetown and Dartmoor shows a rolling rate of 605 cases per 100,000 of population. The average is 304.