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Herald Reporter

ABOUT 118 staff of Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) and 73 prisoners have so far tested positive to Covid-19.

ZPCS health services director Dr Evidence Gaka gave the statistics during a Covid-19 awareness campaign held at Chikurubi maximum prison yesterday.

The campaign is aimed at educating inmates on the pandemic and cultivate a culture of adherence to various health regulations aimed at curbing the spread of the virus in prisons.

Speaking to the media on the side-lines of the event, Dr Gaka said ZPCS has since put in place a raft of measures aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19.

“We have done more than 2 000 PCR tests and out of that, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is 191. These include officers and inmates. We cannot separate these two because they share the same physical space.

“Officers who tested positive are isolating at their homes and we have identified facilities where those who cannot do so at home can be isolated. Inmates are also isolated, and those that are having complications have been quarantined from the rest of other prisoners,” he said.

In view of the spiking cases and the portent threat Covid-19 poses in prisons, where maintaining social distance is difficult, the ZPCS has also taken measures to minimise contact between prisoners and the outside world. ZPCS stopped relatives from visiting prisons as part of the measures to control the spread of the virus.

“As far back as early March, an announcement was made through the media that ZPCS has temporarily suspended visits to inmates. When it comes to discretion the same temporary suspension went on to say that those who are not yet convicted may be allowed one visitor per week, preferably a legal counsel or medical doctor.

“The discretion was extended to those who are convicted and are unwell, but a medical doctor should first confirm that they are unwell so that they are allowed visits. But the whole idea of temporarily suspending visits is to try and control the virus.”