Coronavirus grips Kota jail as 41 inmates test positive

KOTA: The detection of 24 fresh corona positive cases in mahila jail of Kota Central Jail on Sunday morning has sent the jail staff as well as the local administration into a tizzy taking the total number of Covid-19 infected inmates to 41.
As many as 260 male inmates have been lodged in the mahila jail. Now, containing the spread in the main jail accommodating 1,100 inmates poses a challenge to the authorities. Female inmates had been shifted to other jails, deputy superintendent of jail Shravan Lal Jat said. The main jail where 1,100 inmates are lodged is currently protected from the infection, but keeping all the inmates safe is a challenge. The jail is congested and overcrowded and it is hardly possible to protect the inmates from infection, he said. The first inmate, who was lodged in jail under judicial custody on July 14 from Vigyan Nagar police station, tested positive on July 18, he further said, adding 50% of the inmates in Kota Central Jail carry symptoms pertaining to Covid-19 and the samples of such inmates are being collected. Besides, freshly arriving inmates are being shifted to jail in Sangod town of the district.
Meanwhile, in Kota and Bundi districts reported 123 and 34 cases, respectively, on Saturday taking the total to 1,305 in Kota and 83 in Bundi. Of the 34 cases in Bundi, 17 were from Bundi district transport office which was shut on Saturday following the detection of an infected employee.