Mass Covid-19 Testing Taking Place At Portlaoise Prison
A second case of covid-19 has been detected in Portlaoise prison.
Mass testing of prisoners and staff had been taking place over the last 48 hours following the confirmation of the inital infection on Saturday.
Families of the infected prisoners have been informed.
The Irish Prison Service expects all precautionary testing will be completed later this evening.
Further testing will take place in 7 days time.
Statement from Irish Prison Service:
The Irish Prison Service can confirm that 1 prisoner in Portlaoise Prison and 1 prisoner in the Progression Unit in Mountjoy Prison have both tested positive for Covid-19. Both prisoners were not recently committed to prison therefore they have contracted the virus within the prison.
Families of the infected prisoners have been informed.
Outbreak Control Teams (OCT) have now been established in Portlaoise and Mountjoy to agree and oversee the appropriate actions to be taken to mitigate against further possible spread of the disease within those prisons.
The Service is working closely with Public Health in the HSE with regard to the management of the current outbreaks including making arrangements for the mass testing of prisoners and staff in both locations. Arrangements are being made for the mass testing of prisoners and staff in Portlaoise Prison on Sunday and Monday, and in Mountjoy on Wednesday and Thursday next week with a further test to be carried out 7 days later.
To help prevent the spread of infection a more restricted regime has been introduced in both prisons which may impact on access to video visits and phone calls in the short terms for prisoners in precautionary isolation however we are working to ensure that we can continue to facilitate family contact as far as possible.
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