78 COVID-19 cases confirmed at E Cape Correctional Services

On Tuesday, the number of inmates testing positive for COVID-19 at the East London Correctional facility increased by 49 cases.

With the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at 78 at the Eastern Cape Department of Correctional Services (DCS), the department has activated containment and treatment measures at its facilities.

On Tuesday, the number of inmates testing positive for COVID-19 at the East London Correctional facility increased by 49 cases.

Among those infected are 53 inmates from St Albans Correctional facility and 25 officials from the head office.

"As the number of infected people increases in correctional services, the containment and treatment pillar of the Disaster Management Response Strategy of the department has been activated. This is looking at the rapid identification of laboratory-confirmed cases, the isolation of those who test positive and management of the pandemic within our centers," said the Department on Tuesday.

Healthcare teams are on-site, armed with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), which includes goggles, gloves, masks, and gowns, rendering care services to distress cases and monitoring those likely to develop acute respiratory challenges.

Prevention measures

Working together with the Health Department and provinces, DCS has a list of hospitals and health care centers where inmates could be transferred in cases where they require admissions.

"Appropriate safe escorts will be employed in order to limit the risk for officials and hospitals receiving inmates in need of care.

"Disinfection of the environment at East London Correctional Centre is underway. This is to prevent contamination of surfaces and inanimate objects," said the department.

In a bid to curb the spread of the virus, the DCS is now splitting out-of-cell time for the distribution of food.

"This will mean that units or wings are divided in order to avoid concentration of inmates and officials in open spaces. This measure does not abolish access to open-air which is mandatory for inmates," said the department.

Visits will remain restricted and the DCS has since issued a circular advising correctional centers to increase the limit on the amount that inmates are allowed to buy items from centre tuckshops.

This will allow inmates to purchase items from the tuck shops, adhering to social distancing protocols.

"We have also ramped up toiletries that we provide to inmates so that offenders are not disadvantaged," said the department.

Only two out of 243 centers have reported positive cases of the virus thus far.

"Therefore, it remains critical that prevention measures remain in force and be granulated in order to keep other centers COVID-19 free. Valuable lessons have been learned in East London and this will influence our disaster response plan moving forward.

"However, it must be acknowledged that, as the virus continues to spread in communities, correctional centers within the same localities will remain vulnerable. Officials attending gatherings and movements from their residences to places of work is receiving attention, in addition to screening," said the DCS.

The Department has also procured mobile quarantine sites that will assist with isolation cases, this is in addition to centers already identified and prepared for this purpose across all provinces.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)