GEORGE TOWN, Oct 7 — All Penang prison inmates and guards who had been in close contact with an inmate who died of Covid-19 have been isolated and placed under quarantine.
Penang Prisons Department Director Mohamed Jusoh Ismail said the department has adhered to strict SOPs to quarantine those who have been in close contact with the 85-year-old inmate who had succumbed to Covid-19 yesterday.
“I cannot specify the number of inmates being isolated but there were guards and other inmates who had come into close contact with the victim and they have been isolated and quarantined,” he said when contacted.
He said they were also swabbed for Covid-19 by the health department officers yesterday.
He said more guards and inmates will be tested for Covid-19 today and the Penang Hospital director was also present to monitor the process in prison this morning.
He said none of the inmates, who had been in close contact with the victim, have shown any symptoms of the virus.
“The health ministry did not inform us how the 85-year-old inmate got infected but based on our records, the last time the inmate left the prison premises was on September 9,” he said.
The Health Ministry yesterday confirmed that the Penang prison inmate had died while undergoing treatment at the Penang Hospital.
There are about 2,300 inmates and 320 guards based in the Penang prison.
