Coronavirus: Hong Kong prisons report 1,000 cases among inmates, third correctional facility repurposed for isolation
- More than 1,000 correctional department employees were also unable to report to work as a result of Covid-19 infections and being listed as close contacts
- Cases largely recorded among newly admitted inmates, with government source saying discovery of infections in prison cells was ‘inevitable’
The Correctional Services Department (CSD) revealed that as of Wednesday, about 1,000 persons-in-custody had become infected whilst behind bars, with most cases appearing to be asymptomatic.
More than 1,000 CSD employees were also unable to report to work as a result of becoming infected with the coronavirus or being identified as a close contact, which had severely affected operations.
The figure, accounting for about one in seven employees, had led to back-office staff, such as training and rehabilitation personnel, being redeployed to ease manpower shortages.
On Thursday, correctional authorities said a secretary to the Commissioner of Correctional Services Woo Ying-ming had tested positive after taking a rapid antigen test.
However, the commissioner himself had been taking rapid tests every day, with all results coming back negative, the department said, adding that all employees were required to take one test per day before arriving at work.
