Covid-19 cases in Eastern Cape prisons rise to 78

After a confirmed increase of 49 new cases at East London Correctional Centre in Westbank, there are now 78 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Eastern Cape prisons.

Dispatch Live reports that this includes 53 inmates and 25 prison officials.

This is in addition to 26 previously confirmed cases at the prison.

The department of correctional services reportedly said that the total of 78 includes inmates and officials from St Albans Prison and the department’s head office.

The department said it had activated its disaster management response strategy and that health care teams were on-site to “render care services to distress cases and monitor those likely to develop acute respiratory challenges”.