[UPDATED] Prison outbreak: 68 positive inmates trigger covid19 cases spike

AN outbreak of covid19 at the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) in Arouca triggered a record high of almost 100 new positive cases in TT from samples taken between Wednesday and Friday.

The Health Ministry’s 4 pm clinical update on Saturday said of the 97 new cases, 46 came from a cluster within the prison system.

The acting Commissioner of Prisons Dennis Pulchan referred to the situation as an unsettling one, but all avenues are being explored to protect the rest of the population, the TT Prison Service said in a release, on Saturday.

It said 68 more MSP inmates tested positive on Thursday. A week earlier on November 6, 18 MSP inmates tested positive. The release said a team of medical experts tested 222 people, including inmates and staff members, on Thursday.

Arrangements were made with the Ministry of Health to have all contacts, as well as people in the surrounding housing areas tested in light of the 18 positive cases on November 6.

"Parallel to the testing, logistics were being considered and drafted with an anticipation of at least one-quarter of the sample size returning positive results," the release said.

"Several matters placed on the board included provisional housing areas, prisoner risk assessment, transport/ transfers and staff management."

Another factor of grave concern is the safety and well-being of staff members, who are also affected, the release said. Welfare officers are expected to contact the next of kin of the affected people and advise them accordingly, it added.

"All affected will continue to be monitored and observed as all safety precautions continue to be in full effect...The Prison Service, despite the challenges faced during this time, will continue to function in the most resourceful and effective manner possible while maintaining the balance between health and security."

When contacted on Saturday, National Security Minister Stuart Young said the Prison Service was acting to treat inmates who contracted covid19 and to isolate them from others.

“The prison system has built out a parallel system for inmates who test positive and also those who may be primary contacts. This system has been in place for some time now," Young said in a reply by WhatsApp to Sunday Newsday asking about any interventions being done.

"Prisons are working closely with the Ministry of Health to isolate inmates and to treat those who have tested positive."

Young said the Prison Service was taking precautions and the situation was being closely monitored.

On August 20, the Health Ministry recorded its then-largest number of new cases, 81. On September 2, the Ministry also reported another increase of 81 positive cases which came from samples taken between August 23 and 31.

The ministry’s 4 pm clinical update also said the number of deaths increased by one on Friday to 112.

To date, 34,701 people have been tested. From March 12 to Saturday afternoon, the total positive cases stood at 6,077. A total of 5,373 patients recovered, and there are 592 total active cases.

Thirty-nine patients were hospitalised and 24 were in step-down facilities, a decrease of four compared to the previous day.

The number of people in state-quarantine facilities went up from 158 to 293. There were 432 people in self-isolation at home compared to 414 on Friday.

Former health minister Dr Fuad Khan said once the number of covid19 tests increases, so too would be the number of positive cases until the entire country becomes immune to the virus.

“The more tests are done, the more positive cases would continue to rise. If there are 97 new cases with no deaths, then we are in a good place. People are getting jumpy with positive cases, that is nothing to alarm themselves about,” Khan said.

“Positive cases do not mean death. It means the disease is spreading. If people are dying rapidly, then there would be cause for more concern. Right now, it is mainly the aged population that has succumbed.”

The former health minister charged that the more a place is locked down, the faster the virus will spread.

“The only thing these positive cases would do is allow the ministry’s three doctors to get ammunition to lock down the place more, which they seem to enjoy doing,” Khan said.

He was referring to Chief Medical Officer Roshan Parasram, epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds and Principal Medical Officer, Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards.

Khan said, “The media and the doctors in the ministry would do their usual fearmongering. The media wants to sell paper and the ministry, the three names I called, love keeping control.”

Sunday Newsday was unable to contact the public health officials as calls went unanswered.

This story was originally published with the title "68 more inmates test positive for covid19" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Less than a week after 18 prisoners at the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) in Arouca tested positive for covid19, 68 more tested positive on Thursday.

A release on Saturday from the TT Prison Service said a team of medical experts tested 222 people including inmates and staff members on Thursday.

Arrangements were made with the Ministry of Health to have all contacts, as well as people in the surrounding housing areas tested in light of the 18 positive cases on November 6.

"Parallel to the testing, logistics were being considered and drafted with an anticipation of at least one-quarter of the sample size returning positive results," the release said.

"Several matters placed on the board included provisional housing areas, prisoner risk assessment, transport/ transfers and staff management."

The release quoted acting Commissioner of Prisons Dennis Pulchan, referring to the situation is an unsettling one. But all avenues are being explored to protect the rest of the population.

"Another factor of grave concern is the safety and well-being of staff members, who are also affected," it said.

Welfare officers are expected to contact the next of kin of the affected people and advised them accordingly. All affected will continue to be monitored and observed as all safety precautions continue to be in full effect.

The Prison Service, despite the challenges faced during this time, will continue to function in the most resourceful and effective manner possible, while maintaining the balance between health and security.