(MENAFN- The Post) MASERU - COVID-19 has hit the Lesotho Correctional Service (LCS), sparking fears of a massive outbreak of the deadly disease in the country's overcrowded prisons.
LCS sources said several officers have tested positive for Covid-19.
The outbreak comes as the government is getting ready to vaccinate prison officers and inmates. Officers will have to face a disaster if vaccination does not start sooner.
They said tests have already revealed that cases are rising among officers.
An officer, who requested anonymity, said there are fears that the disease could spread to inmates.
“There is a real disaster coming,” he said.
He said the first cases were reported at the Female Correctional Facility where two inmates were found positive.
Two more cases were discovered at the Juvenile Training Centre (JTC).
“After all these cases, further tests were conducted and more positive cases arose at the Correctional Staff Training School (CSTS) and the Juvenile Training Centre,” the source said. He said there are also cases at Maseru Central Correctional Facility.
However, the LCS spokesman Assistant Superintendent Pheko Ntobane said there are no reports of infected inmates.
He said so far only officers have tested positive.
A/Supt Ntobane, who is himself quarantined at home after contracting the virus last week, said there are several cases at the LCS headquarters.
“All I can confirm is that corona is there and as we are part of the Basotho nation we could not be spared when it hit other sectors of the society,” A/Supt Ntobane said.
He said at the headquarters there were three positive cases last week.
“Like I told you that I am at home self-quarantining after testing positive. I know of individuals who personally told me they had just tested positive too,” he said.
“I talked to their superior who said he had sent them home as well.”
He said none of the officers who have tested positive have direct contact with inmates, adding that many of those infected work in one office.
He said the major problem is that they don't have PPE and their offices have never been disinfected.
“We made cloth masks for ourselves and some people and companies of goodwill donated some PPE. But apart from that, we have nothing,” he said.
A/Supt Ntobane said they do not understand why correctional officers have not been vaccinated.
“We regard ourselves, and indeed we are, fighting on the front line and are worthy of getting the vaccine,” he said.
On Monday the National Covid-19 Secretariat recorded 695 cases, the highest number in a day ever since the advent of the pandemic last year.
So far 13 603 people have tested Covid-19 positive while 377 have died.
'Malimpho Majoro
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