Homa Bay GK Prison a red zone after 16 contract coronavirus

Homa Bay GK Prison has been declared a Covid-19 red zone as 16 remandees have tested positive for the virus.

The 16 cases were among those announced in the county on Saturday, the highest ever in a single day, raising the total to 31.

The correctional facility had not recorded an infection in several months, following tough measures to curb the spread.

Following increased infections in prisons across the country, Homa Bay GK Prison Commander Beverlyne Lungatso suspended visits by outsiders as well as the entry and exit of police officers picking up and returning remandees to the facility.

In addition, all new convicts are quarantined for at least 14 days,as they wait for Covid-19 tests and results, before they are checked into the prison.

Isolated

The 16 patients had been charged both locally and in Migori County, which is South Nyanza’s Covid-19 epicenter.

Their samples were collected on Thursday and the positive test results announced on Saturday.

County Health Executive Richard Muga said they were all isolated within the prison to prevent new infections.

"By the time the cases were being confirmed, the remandees had not interacted with other prisoners. Preventive measures put in place by prison authorities have helped slow down the spread of the virus among inmates," he said.

Health officers are expected to conduct mass testing at the prison and fumigate surfaces to prevent further transmission.

Judiciary officers

Meanwhile, Judiciary officers are expecting their test results following sample collection on Friday.

Last week, the Judiciary suspended physical court sittings except for urgent matters after three staff from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) contracted the virus.

Principal Magistrate Thomas Obutu said suspects will, for the next 14 days, take plea virtually.

Earlier, Nyanza Regional Prisons Officer David Kilundo said quarantine and isolation blocks  were set aside in Migori, Kisii and Kisumu.

"Those we are receiving are remandees who have court cases. Once we admit them, we put them in quarantine for 14 days and then we test them," said Mr Kilundo.

Those who test negative are put in quarantine for a further seven days, before they occupy the general cells.

"We refer those who test positive to the county surveillance team and they are admitted to facilities such as Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital," he said.

At the courts, inmates are supposed to stay in the prison car until they are called by the magistrate.

They sanitise their hands before boarding the vehicle back to the prisons, where hand washing and sanitising materials are provided.