The Department of Correctional Services said three new cases of covid19 have been confirmed, with the first reported case at St Albans prison outside Port Elizabeth.
Department spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, said the tracing process is underway at St Albans where 34 officials have already been placed in quarantine and were set to be tested on Monday by the National Health Laboratory Services.
He said the other new case was reported at the Correctional Services Head Office in Pretoria.
Nxumalo also said that an inmate at East London Correctional Centre also tested positive, bringing the number of infected inmates at the facility to four.
Twenty-five Correctional Services officials, 23 of whom are in East London, have now tested positive for covid19, bringing the total number of cases within the Department, including the four inmates, to 29.
“The situation at East London Correctional Centre is being monitored and [what is] critical at this stage is the finalisation of testing for all officials and inmates,” Nxumalo said.
He said providing the necessary care to those testing positive is being prioritised.
Nxumalo also said that the direct contacts of the official who tested positive at their Head Office have been identified and all the measures in this regard are being followed.
“Offices, lifts and other areas have already been decontaminated.”
“We continue to work with the Department of Health and other stakeholders in our efforts to contain and prevent any further transmission of the virus,” Nxumalo said.
- African News Agency (ANA)
