A surge in coronavirus infections was detected among inmates of a prison in the southern Colombian city of Leticia, Luis Diaz, the chairman of a prison workers union, said on Tuesday, adding that at least 85 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19
BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th May, 2020) A surge in coronavirus infections was detected among inmates of a prison in the southern Colombian city of Leticia, Luis Diaz, the chairman of a prison workers union, said on Tuesday, adding that at least 85 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19.
"Out of all [95 people tested], 85 tested positive," Diaz said, as quoted by the Colombian El Tiempo newspaper.
According to Diaz, one prisoner died, and at least 10 COVID-19 carriers in prison were elderly.
The outbreak might have started with a prison guard who visited a health care facility a month ago and was later diagnosed with COVID-19, supposedly having contracted it from a doctor.
Diaz also said that inmates lacked protective equipment, and the correctional facility is not able to isolate coronavirus carriers.
Colombia has so far confirmed 11,613 COVID-19 cases and 479 coronavirus-related fatalities.
Authorities and rights groups across the world have expressed concerns about the potential for prisons and detentions facilities to become COVID-19 hotspots due to the inability of isolating infected inmates. The fears has prompted some countries to release hundreds of prisoners.
