Bhopal: Highlighting the huge risk that jail inmates in India are in amid the COVID-19 pandemic today, 67 positive cases were reported in a single day inside the Bareli sub jail in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, as per reports. This report was as per Monday (July 20). More importantly, this number (64 inmates, rest jail guards) comprises 78 percent of the total inmates (82) of the jail.
The numbers have alerted officials and the 11 remaining staff members of the jail will now be tested.
Of the infected, 22 are symptomatic and are being shifted to a hospital in a neighbouring district. The rest, who are asymptomatic, will be quarantined with the jail premises, the DG of MP jails has been quoted as saying. It is said that the infection possibly came via new prisoners who have come in recently.
-India Legal Bureau