As part of the preventive measures taken by the DGAPR to preserve the safety of prisoners and prisons in the face of the danger of the spread of the new coronavirus and following the completion of the period of health isolation of the first group of officials of the local prison of Ksar El Kebir who worked for two weeks in succession, last Saturday, and in coordination with the local services of the territorial administration and the ministry of Health, the medical control took place of officials both those who have joined their posts and those called to leave the institution, the delegation said in a statement.
After the commission found that three female officials showed some symptoms, it was decided to keep the first group of officials in service and to postpone the entry into service of the second group, the statement added, stating that the three above-mentioned persons had been tested with positive results.
The services of the ministry of Health and the provincial monitoring committee immediately began the testing procedures for the four inmates in the women's ward, an independent part of the institution, as well as all elements of the first group, and the employees of the catering company, the same source added, noting that the results were negative with the exception of two cases confirmed to be infected with the virus.
These two cases are that of a driver who has no direct contact with the inmates and a new woman detainee who joined the institution on 08 April, the statement said, noting that the contaminated cases, as well as an inmate who was in contact with the infected prisoner, were transferred to the hospital to be subjected to the protocol of care adopted by the competent services.
The DGAPR also stated that, as part of its concern to preserve the safety of prisoners and staff and in order to control the situation, it has mobilized its various central, regional and local services and has taken a series of urgent measures in coordination with the various competent authorities since the first cases of contamination appeared.
These include the sterilization of all the dependencies of the prison establishment, the strengthening of preventive measures, including the distribution of a sufficient number of protective masks for officials, employees and inmates while insisting on the obligation to wear them, as well as the control of movement within the establishment and the raising of awareness of the need to respect hygiene rules.
It was also decided to strengthen the control and degree of medical vigilance within the local prison of Ksar El Kebir, the same source added, indicating that in order to further protect the inmates and officials of this institution, the latter will be provided with protective suits, while the officials of the second group will undergo the necessary medical examinations before returning to the institution.