Pratapgarh: After a brief spell during which no new COVID-19 infections were reported, the Pratapgarh district is now facing a spurt in cases which are closely linked to the district jail. According to reports, 26 new cases were reported in a single day.
It is to be noted that total active cases in the district is 28 and all of them are inmates of district jail. Earlier, two inmates had tested positive. According to the district health department, an accused arrested in firing case and brought to jail was the first inmate to test positive.
The COVID-19 recovery rate in the district was 100%, with all patients being cured/discharged a week ago.
Following the surge in cases, the health department is conducting thermal screening for all prison staff and inmates. The department is also planning to isolate and shift secondary contacts from certain prison cells.
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According to Jail Superintendent Shivendra Kumar Sharma, the further screening will be done in accordance with guidelines laid down by the state health department.
Earlier, Dholpur district in the state too reported a spike in COVID-19 positive cases. About a dozen prisoners in the district jail were found to be COVID-19 positive, following which over 70 samples were collected three days ago by the prison administration.
A total of 20 positive cases have been reported from the Dholpur prison so far.
Rajasthan recorded 78 fresh cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the total number of infections to 18,092, according to an official report here. The coronavirus death toll in Rajasthan stands at 413. Of the total cases, 13,920 people have been discharged and 3,347 are active cases in the state.
