GEORGE TOWN, Oct 7 — The Penang Remand Prison is adhering to the stipulated standard operating procedure (SOP) in the effort to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic in the prison after a prisoner died of the disease.
Its director, Mohamed Jusoh Ismail said all prison personnel and prisoners who were close contacts of the dead male prisoner have been put under quarantine and isolated from other employees and inmates.
“I cannot reveal the number of people who were isolated but I can assure the close contacts of the dead prisoner are quarantined and had taken the Covid-19 screening test carried out by Health Ministry personnel yesterday.
“Today, more prisoners and personnel are undergoing Covid-19 screening tests in prison and in fact Penang Hospital director was also present to monitor the situation in prison,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
Mohamed Jusoh said so far those who are quarantined do not have symptoms.
Currently, there are about 2,300 prisoners and 320 employees at the Penang Remand Prison.
“So far, MOH has not obtained details on the source of infection of the dead prisoner…based on prison information, the last movement of the dead prisoner was on Sept 9 and there were no more movements after that,” he said.
Meanwhile a Bernama observation at the prison entrance found movements of MOH vehicles including one carrying Penang Health director Dr Asmayani Khalid.
It was learned that health personnel were seen entering the prison since 9am to conduct Covid-19 screening on prison staff and prisoners.
Yesterday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed an 85-year-old man died while being treated at Penang Hospital and he was the dead prisoner who was found having hypertension and mental health problems.
— Bernama
