Berhampur: Following the detection of 43 coronavirus positive cases in Berhampur Circle Jail, a 50-bed special COVID-19 hospital started operation inside the jail premises here in Ganjam district Saturday, deputy inspector general (Jail) Raghunath Majhi said.
Also read: 43 new COVID-19 positive cases detected in Berhampur Circle Jail
The dedicated COVID-19 facility began operation in the new hospital building that was inaugurated in the jail premises last year. The number of beds would be enhanced should there be a need, Majhi added.
“Detection of coronavirus positive cases in Berhampur Circle Jail is on the rise day by day. The jail inmates who would develop COVID-19 symptoms in the days ahead will be treated in this special hospital,” superintendent of the jail Kulamani Behera informed.
Presently, as many as 35 inmates of the jail are under treatment in this facility.
The jail doctor has been given charge as nodal officer of new COVID-19 facility in addition to his regular duties. Besides, a team of doctors from chief district medical office will also visit here according to the need.
It may be mentioned here that earlier, COVID positive cases were being shifted to Shitalapalli COVID-19 facility. The state government decided for an in-house hospital after two undertrials from Khurda area escaped from the hospital.
As many as 43 persons from this jail including 33 inmates, nine staff and the jailer himself tested positive for the deadly disease last Wednesday. All infected inmates were kept under isolation inside the jail campus. Likewise, the infected jail staffers were then advised to remain in home quarantine.
Similarly, 20 inmates and two staffers of the jail had earlier tested positive for COVID-19 infection June 6.
PNN