83 prisoners of another Odisha jail test positive for COVID-19

Bargarh: As many as 83 prisoners of Padampur Sub-Jail have tested positive for COVID-19 in Bargarh district.

Total 132 persons including 124 prisoners and 8 employees of the Sub-Jail, Padampur, had undergone COVID test yesterday, of which 83 jail inmates were found positive for the virus, informed Padampur SDMO today.

Of total infectees, five prisoners have been kept at a COVID Care Centre after their oxygen level dipped.

The deadly virus continues to spread to different jails in Odisha infecting the prisoners as well as staff in second wave of the pandemic.

In Bhubaneswar, total 96 persons including jail inmates and employees of Jharpada Special Jail have been infected with COVID-19.

Total 195 swab samples were collected from Jharpada Jail on Thursday, of which the 96 persons including Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi and tainted retired IFS Officer Abhay Kant Pathak tested positive for the virus, source said yesterday.

Recently, one prisoner of the Jharpada Jail had succumbed to the virus while undergoing treatment at the SCB Hospital in Cuttack. Reportedly, the jail inmate was infected inside the prison and jail authorities neglected to provide timely medical treatment to the patient following which his health condition deteriorated.