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By News24 Wire

Wire Service


Another inmate dies with coronavirus at East London prison

Another prisoner at the East London prison has died of Covid-19, bringing the death toll at the country's correctional centres to three.


The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said in a statement all three deaths happened in the East London prison.

DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the 50-year-old died on Wednesday.

“The death of a 50-year-old inmate in East London on 20 May 2020 was confirmed to be Covid-19 related, with respiratory failure cited as a cause of death.”

Nxumalo said the total number of Covid-19 cases in the DCS was 719, with 246 officials and 473 inmates having tested positive.

The Western Cape recorded nine additional cases among officials, while the Eastern Cape recorded one additional official, Nxumalo said.

He said 143 people had recovered from the virus.

The total breakdown of Covid-19 cases at DCS is as follows:

Eastern Cape

Total cases – 489

Officials – 76

Inmates – 413

Recoveries – 72

Deaths – 3

Western Cape

Total cases – 206

Officials – 155

Inmates – 51

Recoveries – 59

Deaths – 2

Limpopo

Total cases – 2

Officials – 2

Inmates – 0

Recovery – 1

Gauteng

Total cases – 16

Officials – 7

Inmates – 9

Recoveries – 10

Northern Cape

Officials – 2

Free State

Officials – 1

KwaZulu-Natal

Officials – 2

Head office

Officials – 1

Recovery – 1

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