Nineteen inmates of the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) in Arouca have tested positive for COVID-19, forcing a complete lockdown of the facility.
Acting Commissioner of Prisons, Dennis Pulchan confirmed to media that the MSP is now under “lockdown mode.”
He told GML: “The prison is on lockdown mode to limit the movement of inmates and officers and if I can do this for 14 days it means I can starve the virus from spreading. I am having the prison sanitized morning, evening and lunchtime now. COVID-19 is here and it is my job to do everything in my power to protect the prison population.”
Pulchan said one of their immediate strategies is protecting the lifers at the MSP who are among the ageing population.
He said “Some of them have medical complications and we cannot afford for them to get COVID-19. We have to see what is happening and act accordingly.”
Pulchan said several inmates were tested last week and the results were officially in on Friday night.
He said MSP is doing tracing throughout the prison to see who they came in contact with. “So far, it’s 50 inmates, but none of them are showing any signs yet.”
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